Finally
by hyvnn
Summary: Wherein a drunk and an idiot stop making excuses. Finally.
1. Finally

**Hope you enjoy this one. It's been in my head for a while. As always, special thanks to Dreaming of the Phoenix for being an awesome beta.  
**

* * *

Finally

* * *

An illusion. A trick. A lie.

She was fake, and never before had she ever regretted her special transformation technique that made her look like a young woman in her prime.

She had noticed it two years ago, right before the start of the war. She had come out of her coma with him on her mind, left over from the many dreams she had of him during her time unconscious. She had made so many excuses at the time that they almost made her laugh.

Her dreams while comatose? A simple byproduct of him showing up right at the moment she needed him the most, ready and able to save the village from a monster.

Her thoughts of him the moment she awoke? Simply leftover from her dreams.

And… the way he looked at her, the way he got _so close_ when he saw her up and okay? The way his eyes seemed to light up more than the others? A trick her brain played on her, still fuzzy from the chakra exhaustion she had suffered.

Yes. A simple trick. None of it was real, and none of it meant what she had thought.

* * *

 **| Finally |**

* * *

The next time she noticed it was during the war.

Naruto and Killer B had escaped from the island they were confined on. They had agreed – reluctantly, on her half – that the only two Jinchuuriki would stay out of the war, hidden away so that their enemies couldn't complete their goal.

Tsunade wasn't even surprised when they received reports of Naruto and the Kumo Jinchuuriki breaking through the wards. They didn't know Naruto like she did, not even the Kazekage. She knew that he wouldn't sit by while so many put their lives at risk on his behalf.

That wasn't the kind of man Uzumaki Naruto was.

 _Man_ …

When had she begun to think of him as a man?

Regardless of what she tried to tell herself, tried to make herself believe, _that look_ was in those azure orbs once again when they found her form. She had only seen that look from two people in her entire life.

The first was from Dan, the man she loved and lost what seems like a lifetime ago.

The second was her teammate and friend, Jiraiya.

The latter had only looked at her like _that_ after several years, after she returned to the village as the Godaime Hokage. He had only looked at her with perverted eyes before that.

But now… now a man she was four times older than looked at her that way, with eyes filled of a gentle fondness and caring that made her heart flutter, and she had no idea _why_. They had always been close. He had reminded her of Nawaki and Dan so greatly that she unconsciously attached herself to him nearly instantly. But the relation had always been strictly platonic. He had been a child when they first met, a loudmouthed brat, really. Platonic was all there could have been between them then.

But then he left for nearly three years, and returned a more mature, strong young man. He could still get on her nerves, of course, but that's what the dynamic of their relationship was based on.

So when? When had that changed? _When had he started looking at her like a woman and not some old lady to shout at and be silly with?_

The moment she had appeared in front of him, the Raikage at her side, she had seen his eyes, still blue even though he was encased in orange-gold fire, looking at her with something more than familial love. His whole face lit up, like just seeing her was enough to give him courage.

It had made her stomach float.

With _that look_ , how could she not have sided with him? How could the Raikage expect her to sit aside and watch him try to hurt him? How could the large, dark-skinned man not expect her to put her faith in Naruto's words of confidence?

She had realized then, later when she returned to HQ with her fellow Kage, that the blond had a grip on her. He could make her believe in him with only a look or a few meaningful words. She took him at his word, something she hardly did with any one.

The thought made her feel oddly comfortable.

Uzumaki Naruto never went back on his word, and if you had it, it was as good as done.

She trusted him…

* * *

 **| Finally |**

* * *

The third time she noticed it, it nearly made her fault in his presence.

The way he looked at her, with pleading eyes, when the five of them ordered him to focus on the other battles, and leave it up them to fight _Uchiha Madara_ , nearly made her go against the others' words and let him join in.

He was… worried… for her. Not like a loyal shinobi was worried for their Kage, or a little brother was worried for their big sister, but like a man was worried for the woman he…

She couldn't say the word.

It was a lie. She was a lie. If he saw the real her, saw what she really looked like, underneath the transformation… surely he would be thoroughly disillusioned with her.

The thought of him looking at her in disgust made her heart ache. It hurt her more than she realized.

It also made her entirely aware of just how much Naruto's opinion mattered to her.

When in the hell had he become so important to her?

* * *

 **| Finally |**

* * *

When he stood beside Sasuke and Sakura, the three of them against the terrifying form of the, at the moment, trapped Juubi, and looked at her over his shoulder, happiness and confidence and _open affection_ , she actually had to remember to breathe.

Shrouded in a new orange-gold fire, this one resembling an actual cloak, his eyes golden crosses, Uzumaki Naruto took the Godaime's breath away with a single glance.

She kept trying to tell herself that it was all a lie; that he didn't _look at her_ the way she thought he did, but each and every time she tried, he'd break her resolve to pieces with a single look and smile.

But… it _wasn't real_. She was _fifty five_ and everything about her was fake. He was _seventeen_ and had only seen her like this, in her prime and beautiful. But she wasn't in her prime, or beautiful, not really.

In reality, she was an old woman, old enough to be his damn _grandmother_.

He didn't know the truth. Hadn't seen it.

And the thought of him seeing it scared her more than it should have.

* * *

 **| Finally |**

* * *

When the war ended, and Naruto, staying true to his word, made everything right again, she had tried to forget all the brief yet intense glances they had exchanged with each other.

He was still young, too young to truly understand what he was going through. It was just hormones, it had to be. Her prime was beautiful and her chest made almost every man drool over her. That's all it was.

Another excuse.

He wasn't the sharpest kunai in the weapons pouch, either. He didn't know how extreme the age gap was, probably hadn't even thought about it at all. That had made her laugh and caused her chest to warm. It didn't mean anything… it wasn't real…

Excuses, excuses.

* * *

 **| Finally |**

* * *

The gaki lost an arm, which meant that she had to do something about it.

With Kakashi taking the mantle from her, she did have the time, but…

Tsunade had tried to stay as far away from the blue-eyed blond war hero, but it seemed the world hated her and enjoyed her pain, because Naruto was always somehow near her.

At the grocery store, at the places she ate out, at the hospital visiting Sakura and Ino… He was everywhere, somehow always _feeling_ her when she was in his presence. She always turned and fled before their eyes could meet, though, not daring to look him in those blue orbs, afraid of losing herself in them.

When she had finished his arm, she had Sakura perform the minor surgery to connect it to his nervous system. She didn't trust herself to be alone with him. She would never forgive herself if she took advantage of his obviously misplaced feelings.

She just had to wait it out, wait for him to get over this little… whatever it was… and go back to normal, back to when she was comfortable being all alone…

Alone…

Yeah… that was better for her. Anyone she loved dies, after all.

* * *

 **| Finally |**

* * *

She had managed to stay busy enough to keep away from Naruto for two whole years.

Naruto was now a superstar. Girls from all over came to Konoha to throw themselves at the Hero of the Fourth, the savior of humanity. The title, no matter how true it was, made Tsunade snicker.

He had changed quite a bit during the years. He was taller and had more muscle definition. Not to mention his new hair style; short and tamed, a rather stark contrast to his past styles. His face had lost the rest of the baby fat it had, becoming more angular and defined.

Truly, Uzumaki Naruto was a handsome nineteen year old man. And the women around him noticed it.

Hordes of females clung to him during the day, asking him for dates and giving him little gifts. She felt… happy… for him. He deserved happiness after everything he had done for the Elemental Nations.

Though she couldn't completely suppress the painful sting in her gut whenever a girl stole a kiss on the cheek or managed to loop their arms through his. He never returned these affections, but they still, no matter how hard she tried not to let them, made her heart ache.

Soon, though, the feeling would be gone, or, she hoped it would be. He would find and settle down with a pretty girl and they'd have a long and fruitful relationship, built on truth and passion.

Something she couldn't give him.

She could never give him the truth…

* * *

 **| Finally |**

* * *

Tsunade sighed.

"August 2nd…" she whispered under her breath as she rolled her shoulder. One of the things about having such large breasts was the obligatory back pains. Even after all this time, she still couldn't completely ignore it.

Exiting the hospital, her shift ending early, the slug Sannin headed for her favorite bar, intent to drink herself into oblivion again this year. She hated today, her _birthday_. It was another reminder that she wasn't getting any younger, and would be in the grave before she knew it.

She had a morbid sense of humor sometimes…

After a short walk, she was already entering the bar, ready for the usual round of sake and countless civilians trying to hit on her. No shinobi would, after all, risk pissing off the previous Hokage. That's what she told herself, anyway. She tried her hardest not to think that it was her age that kept the shinobi away. That was like adding insult to injury…

What she found – or _who_ , more specifically – inside would forever change the Senju princess.

"N-Naruto?" the blonde kunoichi blurted. And sure enough, her fellow blond was seated on the stool next to the one she frequented, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Baa-chan!" Naruto shouted with his bastardy smile. "Happy birthday!" His hands waved in the air above his head as he all but screamed something she would be happier with forgetting. In all honesty, he looked like an idiot.

… And for some reason… it made Tsunade happier than she had been in years.

Of course, she didn't let that happiness show.

"What are you doing here, Naruto?" She asked, trying with all her might to sound irritated with his presence. "This isn't exactly your scene." And that was the truth. Naruto didn't drink at all, not even when he became old enough.

Instead of going into a tirade of what would most likely be only slightly intelligible, the Uzumaki menace merely smiled at her. Not the thousand-watt smile he gave out like hellos, but one that was gentle and kind and _goddamnithemadeherstomachflutteragainthebastard._

"Because it's your birthday." Naruto stated, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. And it probably was in his mind… maybe. But to her, it made her want to tear her hair out.

How could she forget what her mind _obviously_ fabricated against her will? On its own accord? Without her permission?! If he kept popping up in her life like this, she never would!

Unable to determine how she could ask him to leave without hurting his feelings, Tsunade just sat at her bar stool, giving up entirely in favor of drowning her headache in copious amounts of alcohol.

Naruto smiled again and hummed like an idiot, obviously happy that she finally took her seat.

The bartender, a retired ninja from back in the days she still wore a flak, sat two cups of her usual in front of her and Naruto. She was a regular here, and he figured that the Hero of the Fourth would probably enjoy what the previous Godaime always ordered.

Grabbing the cup, ready to gulp the warm sake down in one gulp, Tsunade was a tad bit annoyed when she was stopped by the man who wouldn't leave her thoughts alone.

"Happy birthday, Tsunade." He toasted with his cup.

The Sannin cursed her existence even as the blush her blond companion caused with that one sentence deepened. It wasn't exactly the words themselves that made her heart skip. It was the _way_ he said it; soft and low, a whisper, something that was only meant for her.

Tsunade gave something between an awkward nod and a full body spasm before downing her entire cup in one go.

This was the first time that the warm feeling sake gave her worked against her.

Damn blue-eyed, blond-haired men that made her feel both horrible and amazing at the same time…

* * *

 **| Finally |**

* * *

In retrospect, the sake was _probably_ a bad idea…

Instead of forgetting everything she didn't want to think about right now, the alcohol in her system made all the embarrassing thoughts that had passed through her mind come back to the forefront. She was hyper aware of her seemingly permanent blush, and the reason for the damn thing.

I.e. Uzumaki Naruto.

The asshole was even more charming as a drunk than he was sober – which made absolutely _zero_ sense.

Naruto, in a general sense, was, for lack of a better word Tsunade's tipsy mind could come up with, stupid. That stupidity, however, was a part of the Naruto Charm. He wasn't, technically, smart enough to be deceptive. His choice in the color he wore like a badge of honor was the perfect example of this.

With the blue-eyed Uzumaki, what you see is what you get. He had no ulterior motivations and he meant what he said and said what he meant. That being said, he did, while sober, have some kind of filter.

Whilst drunk, however…

Tsunade swore that if he called her beautiful one more time, she just might kill herself, because the other option was definitely something she shouldn't be doing with Uzumaki Naruto, or anyone at this age for that matter.

"How old are you, anyway?" Naruto asked, slurring his words only slightly.

Tsunade gave him a sidelong glance, trying to mask her interest in his reaction to her next words. "Fifty seven…" Even with the amount of alcohol in her, she still spoke with a tone too vulnerable for her tastes. She was a Sannin, god damn it! A retired Hokage had no business sounding like a little girl again. Even still, she continued to observe the blond's reaction.

Naruto had what Tsunade thought to be a very complex expression of thought on his face. Most likely, he was trying to come to terms with the difference in her age and physical appearance. He also kinda looked constipated.

But Uzumaki Naruto wasn't Uzumaki Naruto without being totally unpredictable. It was against his very nature not to be so.

"People care too much about age. Whether you're twenty seven or fifty seven, what matters the most is what's in here." Without preamble, and most likely thought, Naruto poked Tsunade's left breast with his pointer finger, indicating her heart.

As he poked her heart, his eyes, once blurry with alcohol, were suddenly as sharp as the day he decided to put his life on the line for the whole shinobi world. In that moment, the resistance inside Tsunade tore down like wet tissue paper. Later, Tsunade would try to blame it all on the sake.

She'd also be lying.

Before she could stop herself, before she could convince herself that what she was thinking about was completely inappropriate and ridiculous, Tsunade leaned in so close that she could feel Naruto's breath on her lips, warm and heavy.

And then, she closed her eyes and allowed herself this one birthday gift, this one selfish desire.

And the entire time her lips pressed against his, Tsunade couldn't think of a reason to pull away.

* * *

 **| Finally |**

* * *

When she awoke the next day and felt strong arms wrapped around her from behind, Tsunade instantly froze.

Memories of the previous night flashed through her mind in a dazed rush, making her heart beat faster than normal in fear.

Little by little she remembered it. She remembered it all…

 _The tender and sometimes rough meeting of lips, tongues intertwining to wrestle for dominance. The feeling of victory experience awarded in this specific endeavor._

Tsunade shivered like someone suddenly ran an ice cube down her back.

 _The inexperienced fondling of a man_ hungry _for flesh, and the undeniable pleasure of being desired so absolutely._

Tsunade was reduced to shallow breaths, her body now shaking.

 _Azure eyes staring up at her as the inexperienced_ experienced _a whole new world. And then azure eyes staring down at her as she did the same._

Tsunade swallowed painfully. Her mouth was completely dry and her throat suspiciously sore.

 _Soft and shallow thrusts sang out through her entire body, turning into hard and deep ones, making her release the hold she had on her voice. Moaning and grunting intertwining to become a symphony of shouted ecstasy._

She didn't have to turn around to know whose arms she was in. After all, she had been in this room before, for completely different reasons.

 _Rivaled endurance allowed this to continue until the first rays of light broke through the window, the breeze of dawn dancing on exposed flesh._

Her lips were dry.

 _The absolution of release, came and came again, an endless cycle of awe and bliss attained in a single night. Inexperience was turned into experience, and the release became greater, too._

The man behind her, who held her like he thought she would disappear if he let her go, tightened his hold on her, pressing her into him even further. The motion made Tsunade shiver again.

"Good morning." His voice made her freeze.

She didn't know what to do, how to react. Pretending that she had no idea what she was doing in his bedroom, naked, with him still… _sheathed_ within her… would only hurt him.

Acting as if she was furious or regretted the situation she found herself in would only hurt the both of them, but she truly had no idea how to react, how to respond to this impossible situation…

So, she simply replied.

"Good morning…" her voice was annoyingly gentle, but if it was only him hearing that tone…

He pressed his lips into the nape of her neck, and she could _feel_ him smile into it.

"You know... I think I'm in love with you." Naruto's statement caused a flood of fear and anxiety to wash over her.

He loved her? He was _in love_ with her? But... how?

What about their age gap? What about what she truly looked like? What about what his friends would think? Or her friends?

... Did she even have any friends?

Swallowing, Tsunade tried to summon every bit of bravery she had left in her old bones, trying to rid her mind of all the uncertainties.

"I..." she tried. Again, Naruto's hold on her tightened, and she could nearly feel the happiness that rolled off his body in waves. It was enough to make her say the words she knew she wanted to say. "I think... I think I love you, too, Naruto..."

Uzumaki Naruto went perfectly still, and then spoke a single word that made all of Tsunade's fears and anxiety – for the moment, at least – melt away into nothingness.

" _Finally._ "

* * *

 **| Fin |  
**

* * *

 **I've always loved Tsunade. She's one of my favorite characters in Naruto. I also love the** _ **idea**_ **of her being a pairing choice, though I've never really seen it done in a way that I enjoy.**

 **Usually, she's only involved with the main character of the story in a strictly sexual manner. And these stories are usually smut (any mostly crappy smut at that). So far, I've only seen Tsunade become sexually interested in Naruto right away, without much thought to the age gap. I, however, see the age gap being something** _ **extremely**_ **important and integral for such a pairing. And in my opinion, overcoming that super important problem makes the pairing all the more appealing.**

 **When I think about it, the only pairing that makes sense with Tsunade is Naruto x Tsunade, simply because she's so emotionally invested in our favorite knucklehead. That, and he reminds her of a former lover.**

 **Now, this is a simple one-shot. As of this moment, I have no real plans to make it something else. However, if enough of you want me to write more of this, let me know. I'm sure I can come up with something.**

Dreaming of the Moon


	2. An Equal

**Huge thanks for Dreaming of the Phoenix. Even though he doesn't like Naruto x Tsunade, he still beta's for me.**

* * *

An Equal

* * *

She blamed the sake…

Tsunade, a veteran shinobi of Konoha, one of the legendary Sannin, the greatest kunoichi to ever walk the planet, was terrified.

The cause of her fear?

A blond-haired, blue-eyed man named Uzumaki Naruto, the Hero of the Fourth.

The man she loved. Her… _lover_.

Lover… The word was so strange to her. Only one other man had held that title in her long-lived life, and he had been gone for many, many years. Love was all but nonexistent in the medic-nin's life after Dan died.

But then Uzumaki Naruto walked into her life, first as a snot-nosed brat with an overwhelmingly large bark and an admittedly larger bite, and then, suddenly, out of nowhere, he turned into a wonderful man who put others before himself. He became a selfless hero, truly and absolutely.

Naruto was loved by all. Konoha worshiped the ground he walked on, revering him as the "savior of humanity." All very true, though Tsunade found the title quite silly. Kakashi, now the Lord Sixth Hokage, had always cherished him, being both the student of Naruto's father, and later Naruto's sensei.

Suna nearly worshiped him just as much as Konoha did. Naruto had saved their Kazekage, Gaara, more times than either would ever admit, first from Gaara himself, and then from the Akatsuki, an organization that tried to force peace upon the world through pain.

Kumo had a strong opinion of Naruto, one that mostly stemmed from Killer Bee, the Cloud's Jinchuuriki. And there was the whole saving the world for the sake of peace alone thing, too.

Iwa and Kiri were of the same mind when it came to the "Orange Hero," yet another silly title, one that Tsunade suspected originated from the blond-haired idiot himself. "A savior of the people." "A true hero." These were used to describe Naruto on a daily bases within these nations.

General consensus?

Naruto was the messiah, sent by whatever god one believed in, to save the world from its worst enemy: hate.

Uzumaki Naruto sought out the hate in everyone's hearts, unburdening them from it with only one encounter. Tsunade herself had witnessed this ability, this phenomenon to connect with people, to completely understand their pain and, somehow, help free them from it.

He had done so with her, after all.

Tsunade had hated… well, life in general.

Life wasn't fair. It took and it took, and it didn't care about the pain it caused the world. She had lost her grandparents, her parents, her brother, her lover, countless friends… life took everything she cared about away, and she hated it for that.

And instead of facing that hatred head on, instead of accepting the help those that were still around offered her, she did the most cowardly thing a person could do. She ran. She ran away from her responsibilities, her remaining friends and family, her home… her duty.

For so long, Tsunade ran away from her past, drowning her sorrows in unhealthy amounts of alcohol, dragging the last person – at the time – in the whole world who she felt like she had left along for the ride.

But then Uzumaki Naruto showed up and decided to change… _everything_.

* * *

 **| An Equal |**

* * *

" _Why?" Tsunade asked, completely confused by what she saw before her. A boy, no older than Nawaki was when… when he passed away, refused to back down, refused to run away from his obviously superior opponent._

 _Uzumaki Naruto, the little orange-clad brat, stood in between her, and sure death. She was splattered with blood during her fight with Kabuto, Orochimaru's henchman, and her Hemophobia kicked in full swing._

 _He was hurt, too. First by the snake summoned by Kabuto, and then by Kabuto himself, using his medical ninjutsu as an offensive tactic. But even still, he refused to stay down._

" _Why?!" she asked again, as he slowly rose to his feet, having been knocked down by the white-haired spy._

 _With great effort, the blond-haired genin stood, drops of blood falling down off of him, splashing against the never ending green beneath them._

" _Tsunade-baa-chan…" Naruto managed to say through the pain._

" _You're still going to get up?" Kabuto asked, irritation bleeding though._

 _Making a hand-seal, Naruto spoke. "Just like our wager, I will definitely win that unlucky necklace from you." She couldn't respond. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"_

 _She didn't understand why he created a Shadow Clone. It wouldn't do anything against his opponent._

" _Enough… Don't protect me, Naruto." Tsunade begged. "Stop it!"_

 _Kabuto brought out a kunai. "I told you that you'd die if you were obstinate like that, right?" Then he rushed the young ninja. "If you die, there will be no dreams, no nothing."_

" _Just get out of the way. Run away!" Tsunade shouted, wishing he'd just listen to her and not risk his own life._

 _Kabuto thrusted his kunai at Naruto._

" _Humph… It's okay." The blond said, before grabbing the hand that Kabuto had his kunai in, catching the blade between his index and middle fingers. Red flowed down his arm. "I…" Tsunade could see her shock mirrored in Kabuto's eyes. "I definitely will not die… until I become the Hokage!"_

 _Tsunade couldn't say a word. The amount of determination within Naruto's tone silenced her to her core._

" _This way, I can hold on to you. Here I go!" Naruto shouted. Tsunade couldn't see his face, but she knew that he was smirking._

 _Then, the clone beside him began to spin chakra in his hand. She now understood why he had made a Shadow Clone…_

 _Even as she witnessed Naruto driving the orb of pure chakra into Kabuto, Tsunade could hardly believe it. He had done the impossible. He had kept his word. He mastered a technique created by the Yondaime… in just a week._

" _Rasengan!"_

 _As the world seemed to fade to blue, Tsunade had realized, for the first time, just what kind of person Uzumaki Naruto was. And, for the first time in so many years, she didn't feel like running away any more._

* * *

 **| An Equal |**

* * *

It felt like it happened just yesterday. The look within his eyes, the sheer power of his determination… it was breathtaking, even then.

He had erased all the hate in her heart with a single act of bravery. That's who Uzumaki Naruto was to her. Someone who would never give up, and never, under any circumstances, go back on his word once he gave it.

That kind of person, the person who was literally loved by thousands, now terrified her.

Not because he was the most powerful human being she had ever had the pleasure of meeting. Not because he knew every single Kage in the Elemental Nations on a first name basis. Not even because he was able to completely tame the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and gain the favor and trust of the other eight Bijuu.

No. Senju Tsunade was terrified of Uzumaki Naruto for one simple little reason.

She was in love with him.

Normally, this wouldn't be that big of a problem. But…

But those Tsunade loved seemed to die far too early.

* * *

 **| An Equal |**

* * *

"But it's a day off…" Naruto whined in a petulant tone, rolling in the bed stubbornly.

"Yes, it is. Which means it's a perfect day to train." Tsunade countered, smirking at his childish display. The two of them were in her house, Naruto having spent the night with her… again. They'd been doing so since her birthday.

"Why do I have to practice using medical ninjutsu anyway?" Naruto asked, reaching behind him to wrap his arm around her. "If I get hurt, you can just heal me." His eyes were closed, so he couldn't see the uneasiness on her face.

"What if I'm not with you when you go and hurt yourself, smart guy? What then?" She countered, placing her own hand over his, just _feeling_ the warmth he gave off. She really loved that feeling.

"Then Sakura-chan will. She's been fixing me up since we were fifteen." His carefree smile irritated her.

She leaned down, her head now just above his, close enough to feel his steady breathing. "And if Sakura isn't there? If there isn't any Medic-nin around when you get hurt? What'll you do then?"

This time, he didn't have to see her to know that something was off with his lover.

Naruto opened his eyes, blue meeting bronze. And within those beautiful doe eyes, Naruto saw worry.

Tsunade saw it all. Recognition and understanding within azure orbs before they bled red, skin lighting with gilded fire, powerful hands grasping her, positioning her under a bright, powerful body that couldn't possibly be anything but a god disguised as a man.

In the blink of an eye, faster than she could possibly hope to keep up with, Naruto was on top of her, his gold-shrouded form close enough to be effected by the pure life energy that he naturally produced while cloaked. His red-orange, slit eyes peering into hers with a look that no one could possibly hope to escape. His gaze didn't allow you to look away, it refused to not be met.

"Then I'd heal myself." Naruto finally replied after just staring into her bronze eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Again, he was silent, not simply looking at her, but _into_ her. It felt like he could see her very soul. "What's wrong, Tsunade? Why the sudden feeling that I'll need medical treatment?"

God… A commanding, intellectual Naruto was a _hot_ Naruto.

Tsunade swallowed, somehow managing to break eye contact with her lover, turning to look at the wall to her left.

"No particular reason…" She tried to lie. "I just thought you'd like to spend some time together and learn something new along the way." She tried her absolute best to scoff. "But if spending time with me is such a horrible idea for you, then–"

Naruto gently grasped her chin with a gold-clad hand, bringing her back so that he could look her in the eye. "Tsunade." Idly, she wondered how he could be so gentle even when he had near unlimited strength and power within that gilded hand of his.

In an uncharacteristic display of vulnerability, something Naruto seemed to bring out in her more and more often, Tsunade spoke in a soft, almost weak voice.

"The… The people I love tend to die on me…"

Silence.

For precious, chaste seconds, the world seemed to stop completely. There was only the sounds of soft breathing, Naruto staring into Tsunade's eyes, his expression not betraying his emotions at all.

Then the proud-to-be Jinchuuriki of Kurama of the Nine Tails closed the gap between their bodies by hugging the woman he loved so tightly, there was no way to escape. With the hug alone, he conveyed more than most could with words.

He would never let go of her, and he would never let her be alone again.

"I've lost loved ones too, Tsunade." Naruto whispered into her ear, his voice gentle and soft. "We all have."

When she heard these words, Tsunade felt terrible. At least she had time with her parents. At least she made precious memories with her brother and Dan. Naruto, though, lost his everything the moment he was born.

His father, a great and powerful hero of Konoha, Namikaze Minato, sacrificed himself to the Death God for the sake of the village.

His mother, a beautiful and powerful woman that was loved by many, Uzumaki Kushina, was taken from him by the misguided hatred of her husband's student.

His freedom and prosperity of living a normal life was stripped the moment he was made the next Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, taking on his mother's burden around the same time he took his first breaths of this world.

His happiness was stolen by the very village that now revered him as a savior, its ignorance and fear leading to unjust treatment.

And even though he was able to get him back, his greatest friend had been lost to him for years, the shinobi world of hate and pain to blame for it all.

The Sandaime Hokage, a grandfather figure that Naruto depended on as a child, was taken from him by her greed-driven (and now "reformed") teammate.

Hyuuga Neji, a friend and rival, had _given_ his life for the sake of Naruto's, dying on the battlefield for the sake of humanity's only hope, it's champion.

And worst of all, Jiraiya, the bastardly pervert who you couldn't help but care about, was taken from his life far too soon, dying for the sake of peace.

If anyone in the entire world could possibly understand her, it was Uzumaki Naruto, a man who had already lost so much by the time he was sixteen.

And yet, he never stopped smiling. He was so much braver than she.

Naruto pulled away, his eyes once again meeting hers, his skin of gilded fire so warm and fierce, yet also gentle and caring against her flesh.

"But they never really leave us." He explained, placing his hand over her breast. "We carry their love and memory in here, in our hearts. And as long as that's true, you will never be alone, because I will always be here." He then took her wrist and placed her hand on his heart, her fingers tingling in the sensation of pure power. "And you will always be within me, Tsunade. Forever."

"Naruto…" Tsunade leaned forward, pressing her lips in his. She had never kissed him while he was in his golden cloak, but she was now convinced that it was the greatest feeling she had ever experienced. It felt like unadulterated bliss was flowing into her with ever second that passed by.

"So, seeing as how we lose the people closest to us, we'll just have to protect each other." Naruto said after they parted from each other's lips. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, dattebayo. And if I have the super powerful and awesome Tsunade-hime of the Sannin to protect me, I'll be perfectly fine, right?" He said, his shit-eating smile making another appearance.

Tsunade didn't say anything for a few moments, instead simply staring at the man before her, the Hero of the Fourth, the Savior of Humanity, the Orange Hero… her lover.

Someone she was no longer afraid of.

Then, she smirked, her fear and anxiety completely gone from her body. She was _the_ Tsunade again, a woman (and _proud of it_ ) who all other women aspired to be.

"Protect each other, huh?" She said, leaning in close, her smirk still on her face. "I don't know, Naruto, do you think you can handle that?" She asked in a playful tone, laughing even as Naruto's skin turned back to normal and he pinned her back down on the bed.

As he devoured her in hungry passion only one that truly and absolutely loved you could, she thanked whatever god existed for allowing Naruto to walk into her life. He was so different than most men, most _people_ , even.

Even though he could probably take the whole world on by himself, he wasn't arrogant, a sociopath, or narcissistic. He didn't belittle those who were weaker than him (which was probably everyone except Sasuke). Instead, he encouraged people to be better, to get stronger and to love themselves.

He tackled people's hatred, and helped them conquer their inner demons, just as he himself had done.

He walked beside people, never in front of them. He stood beside the weak, never above them. He treated her the way she wished, even though he really didn't have to.

As an equal.

* * *

 **| Fin |**

* * *

 **So, enough people seemed to like my venture into Naruto x Tsunade, so I've decided to continue writing.**

 **I'm still not positive if I'll make this into a huge, multi-chaptered story, but, again, if enough people really want me to, I will. I actually have a couple more chapter ideas, so, at the very least, two or three more chapters will come out. After that, though, I'll have to consider doing something different.**

 **Whether that will be turning it into a crossover or a time travel fic, will be up to you. Let me know in a review what you think.**

 **And while this chapter didn't really have much, it is super important for those two/three chapters I intend to write. They set up a really important scene that I think will have the effect of making Naruto seem far more mature than he already is, and further solidifying his relationship with Tsunade.**

 **Also, I think I'll keep the story in Tsunade's sort-of POV. Naruto just seems so much cooler and more romantic through the eyes of others.**

Dreaming of the Moon


	3. Naras are Scary

**They won't all be this anticlimactic, I promise. Grassy-ass, Dreaming of the Phoenix, for your mad bay-tuh skillz.**

* * *

Naras are Scary

* * *

"Suna?" Naruto asked. Tsunade had just told him that she was headed to the Hidden Sand for a medical trip.

"Yes." She replied, inspecting her bag. "While the alliance is still being reformed, the Kage have all decided that it would be beneficial to open up to each other. The Medical Program is just one of many things we're sharing."

Naruto nodded. "Is it just with Suna?" He asked.

Tsunade shook her head. "No. After Suna, I'll return here for a while, and then head to Kirigakure." She explained. "After Kiri, I'll do the same, and then visit Kumogakure, and so on and so forth."

Naruto nodded again, though he didn't say anything this time. Tsunade looked at her younger blond lover, wondering.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked.

The smile Naruto gave her was obviously a fake one. "No." He shook his head. "Not at all."

Tsunade raised an eyebrow, unbelieving. "Hmm?"

"Really, it's nothing." He tried to assure her, laughing nervously. "When do you leave?" He asked her, rubbing the back of his neck.

"We." Tsunade corrected.

"What?" He asked.

"'When do _we_ leave?'" She stated, placing a scroll full of medical syringes into her bag. "You're coming with."

Naruto was silent, just blinking at her with his adorably confused expression.

And then, his entire face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Eh!? I am!?" He shouted, jumping from the chair he was previously occupying from Tsunade's kitchen.

Tsunade gave him a sidelong glance, smirking. "Of course." She said. "The previous Hokage can't just leave the village without a protective detail, now can they? Even in relative peace time, that would just be illogical."

"Yeah, yeah. Illogical!" Naruto replied a little too excitedly, his true colors showing.

"And if the Hero of the Fourth himself is my guide, surely nothing could possibly befall me on my journey, now could it?" She asked, smiling at the way Naruto nodded in response.

The idiot even saluted her. "You can count on me, Godaime-sama!" He shouted playfully, before developing an evil little expression.

Tsunade had only taken her eyes off of him for a split second to put something else into her bag. And yet, that's all it took for Naruto to strike.

Hokage, past, future, and present, did _not_ squeak, and Tsunade would fight to the death any who claimed she had ever done such an undignified thing. Unfortunately, Naruto was willing to take on that fight, because the noise _his woman_ made when he suddenly picked her up bridal style, was most certainly, without a doubt, unequivocally, a _squeak_.

And the bastard laughed about it the entire time he carried an indignant Tsunade to her bedroom, unable to resist the charm of the most beautiful woman in the entire world any longer.

* * *

 **| Naras are Scary |**

* * *

"I still don't know why I can't come along, Tsunade-sama."

"Because Sakura can't run the entire hospital by herself, Shizune." Tsunade replied, walking beside a woman she viewed as a younger sister, or a daughter, even. Shizune had showed up at her place early in the morning, wanting to walk her to the gate before she set off on her trip to Sunagakure.

Which had been an extremely close call, since Naruto had, once again, stayed with her the previous night, something that had become an everyday thing.

Luckily, her orange-clad lover was able to sneak away fast enough that they hadn't been caught, but it nevertheless was a close call.

Neither of them wanted to keep their relationship a secret from their friends, but it was just too… _complicated_ to explain right now. They knew, without a doubt, that they loved each other more than almost anything in the world, but still, there were many factors that needed to be considered before they went public – or even _if_ they went public.

So for now, they were staying tight-lipped about everything.

"I know." Shizune sighed. "I guess I just miss the old days. Back when it was just the two of us on the road. Us against the world!" Tsunade snorted. "Just kidding." She laughed.

Tsunade knew for a fact that Shizune was miserable when it had just been the two of them. Not because she disliked Tsunade herself, but the lifestyle that she lived. Shizune had missed Konoha more than she ever admitted, and Tsunade knew that she was finally genuinely happy now that she was back home.

"Well, when I get back you can fetch me sake while I take a shot at the local game." Tsunade replied with as serious a face as she could.

Shizune narrowed her eyes, glaring at the blonde-haired woman next to her.

"Don't even think about it, Tsunade-sama."

"Hai, hai." Tsunade waved off.

The two fell into a companionable silence after that, just enjoying the feeling of the bustling village around them, making their way to the gate, which they reached in only a few minutes.

As Shizune bowed to her master and mother-figure, saying her goodbyes, Tsunade noticed that Naruto wasn't there at the same time she noticed someone else waiting at the gate with a backpack full and ready for travel.

"Shikamaru?" She said. "What are you doing here? Are you about to depart on a mission too?" Tsunade asked, curious. Surely, the now Head of the Nara wasn't here for…

"Godaime-sama." Shikamaru gave the previous Hokage a respectable bow of his head. "Kakashi-sensei didn't tell you?" He sighed, muttering something under his breath that Tsunade guessed was along the lines of 'troublesome'. "The Chunin Exams are coming up soon, and they'll be held in Suna this year." He explained. "Hokage-sama has attached me to your guard detail while we're on the road. Once we get to Suna, I'll be carrying out my own mission."

Tsunade was able to suppress her disappointment. "I see." She smiled at him, able to understand that he was just following orders and not deliberately trying to ruin an entire week of alone time with Naruto. "Please do your best."

Before the Nara Head could respond, there was a flash of yellow and orange heralding the arrival of everyone's favorite idiot.

"Sorry. Was I late?" Naruto asked her, giving her a sheepish smile. "I left my stuff at your ap–"

"No." Tsunade interrupted. "You're just on time. I was just speaking with _Shikamaru_ here about our journey." She nodded in the Nara's direction with her head, giving the Uzumaki a look.

Naruto chuckled nervously, obviously understanding how close he was to accidently spilling the beans on their secret.

"Oh, Shikamaru?" He gave his friend an awkward smile, which wasn't really that strange, since Naruto was always a little awkward. Then Tsunade saw his expression sober, and the same disappointment that she experienced flashed through his eyes. "Wait, Shikamaru? What're you doing here?" He asked, his voice accidently a bit too accusatory.

"I have my own mission in Suna, so Kakashi-sensei placed me on the Godaime's protective detail with you, since we're going to the same place." Shikamaru explained, annoyed at having to explain himself for the second time.

"Eh?" Naruto crossed his arms across his chest. "Why? I'm all the protection Tsunade needs." He stated defiantly, his tone and expression petulant.

Unknown to either Naruto or Tsunade, Shikamaru was very aware that Naruto didn't call the Godaime 'baa-chan'.

"Naruto." Tsunade began, even though she felt just as Naruto did. "He's heading to Suna anyway. There's no reason for him not to tag along with us…"

Again, unknown to either the aforementioned blond idiot or the obsessive gambler, Shikamaru was very aware of the fact that Tsunade didn't scold Naruto, but rather, felt the same way. Or so it seemed to the nineteen year old Nara.

"But our tri –" Naruto was cut off mid whine.

"Enough. There's no point in getting all worked up over nothing." Her eyes met Naruto's for a second, both thinking the same thing; there was most certainly a reason for them to be upset about. This was going to be a time that nothing else really mattered until they reached Suna in five days. They could dote on each other and act like a real couple with relatively no reasons to sneak around. Almost an entire week of just enjoying randomly kissing one another, or holding hands out in the open, or whatever else they couldn't do now since Kakashi had, probably unintentionally, ruined their plans.

Naruto sighed, an annoyed frown marring his face. "Fine. Whatever. Let's go." He grumbled under his breath as he began marching towards the front gate.

Once more, neither Naruto nor Tsunade realized that Shikamaru saw the previous Hokage mirror Naruto's sigh, a flash of disappointment and irritation passing on her face.

As Nara Shikamaru followed his two blond companions out of the front gate, his mind slowly started to process what these micro expressions he had picked up meant.

He had to be losing his touch, though, because the picture his mind was painting was one so ludicrous it wasn't even funny.

Surely he was wrong. Surely he was getting rusty…

They did seem to walk a bit too close, though…

* * *

 **| Naras are Scary |**

* * *

"… and then, the Noodle God wrapped me up in His noodle arms, and tried to _eat me_. It was because I've eaten so many of His kind."

Tsunade couldn't help the expression that was painted on her face, one that questioned both the sanity and intelligence of the beautiful idiot before her as he retold his latest nightmare about… a… _Noodle God_ …

"I swear, it was like a horror movie. _Ramen Strikes Back!_ "

Though, she also couldn't help the small little smile that graced her lips as she listened to the ridiculous tale her lover detailed with such gusto it could be considered cute. Like a dog wagging its tail when it's excited.

As Naruto continued with his story, something or other about evil beefcake eyes, Tsunade glanced back at Shikamaru, who was strangely keeping his distance from them and being rather quiet. The young Nara wasn't the most talkative person to begin with, but he hadn't said a single word since they left the village, and that had been hours ago.

At times, she felt as if his eyes were on them, watching and analyzing them in the way only a Nara could.

The Nara really didn't get enough credit. When debated, the Uchiha or the Hyuuga were considered the strongest clans in the village, though before the Senju all but died out, they were considered the 'top dogs' of Konoha.

But in Tsunade's opinion, the Nara were the deadliest. It was true that none of them were really considered 'powerhouses,' but it wasn't their strength and power that made them so deadly, but rather their minds.

It was almost impossible to outsmart a grown Nara. They had tactical minds of high-ranking generals by the time they were old enough to become genin. Natural born geniuses, the whole lot of them. Tsunade's father had used to say that, if they so desired, the Nara could take command of Konoha at any point in time.

When her younger, naïve self asked why they hadn't done so already, her father would laugh jollily.

" _Geniuses they may be, but lazy they most definitely are."_

Now that she was older, Tsunade understood what her father had meant entirely. The Nara were scary competent when you ordered them to be, able to devise counterattacks to nearly anything they came across within minutes after only seeing it once.

The truth of the matter was, if there was ever a _motivated_ Nara born among the deer-herders…

The thought was actually kind of terrifying.

Thankfully, there didn't seem to be any in existence yet, Shikamaru being the closest description of motivated, and his hobby was watching clouds.

But right now, with his eyes on their backs, Tsunade couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. She didn't think they were being too couple-y. She didn't think she smiled too much, or stared at him for too long. They walked at an 'appropriate' distance, and talked about mundane things.

So why…

Why did she feel like the Nara on her shoulder knew their secret without any evidence whatsoever to lead him to that conclusion?

* * *

 **| Naras are Scary |**

* * *

Tsunade's smile was far too malicious to be innocent.

How could she not smile, though? She had converted the Hero of the Fourth to her side, the side of saké lovers.

While nothing like her, Naruto had, after many nights of keeping his woman company, developed a liking for saké. He certainly didn't drink it every day, but he didn't mind at all sharing a cup with Tsunade at dinner.

He told her that he enjoyed the warmth it spread throughout his body as it slid down his throat. That had made her smile, too. It was exactly that reason she liked it so much.

"We made decent time today." Shikamaru started as she and Naruto enjoyed their alcohol. His voice reminded her that they weren't alone. "We could be there in four days if we keep up this pace."

Tsunade nodded, placing her cup on the table. "Seems like we'll be arriving a bit early. I hope Gaara doesn't mind."

"No worries, no worries." Naruto chuckled. "Gaara won't care. We're close, after all."

Tsunade smiled at Naruto's carefree attitude in regards to the Kazekage. While young, the sand shinobi had proven himself a competent leader, guiding Suna into prosperity in a very short time. In the past two years since the war ended, he had done more for the Hidden Sand than his predecessors had done in nearly twenty years.

The shinobi academy had been completely reformed, modeled after Konoha's. The material was more in depth and expressed the importance of teamwork and comradery.

The governing body was cleaned up, most of the anti-Gaara faction dealt with.

Mission policies were erased and rewritten, emphasizing the idea that every ninja mattered.

Trade had bloomed, markets flourishing, bringing in both money and opportunity. The village's economic state had never been more stable.

And most of all, the alliance with other nations was ironclad, thanks in huge part to Uzumaki Naruto, the great Orange Hero.

Honestly, Tsunade couldn't help the smile that crept on her face every time she thought of the man who became her lover.

"You haven't seen him in a while, huh?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto shook his head. "Not since that mission I took a year ago to Suna. He's really busy, though, so I don't mind. He's living the dream." He huffed. "Becoming a Kage before me…"

Her lover's consternation at being beat to the position of Kage made her laugh, smiling as she stared into the blue eyes of the greatest person to walk into her eyes in so many years.

"You'll join him soon enough." Shikamaru said. "Everyone knows that Kakashi-sensei won't pass the hat to anyone but you."

Tsunade nodded in agreement. Kakashi was just keeping it warm for his student, after all. He had said as much, even. It was Naruto's right to become Hokage.

He had earned it.

That, and so much more.

* * *

 **| Naras are Scary |**

* * *

It was night out, but it wasn't that late yet. Even so, the group of three had decided to settle into the inn for the night, deciding to get an early start in the morning.

Shikamaru and Naruto had gone to their room for the night, leaving her to sleep in a room all by herself, in a bed that was missing a particularly warm blond that Tsunade liked to use as a body pillow.

She sighed, still bitter that Kakashi had added Shikamaru to her guard detail at the last minute. She didn't mind, Shikamaru was usually good company. But Tsunade couldn't help but think that, if he wasn't here, Naruto would be in her bed right now, spoiling her with his undivided attention and…

Ugh! This was not the time to be getting horny, damn it!

Damn sake and its tendency to make her _want_ blond idiot's with whisker marks that felt surprisingly good against bare flesh and…

Damn it, she was doing it again.

Tsunade sighed. She wanted Naruto…

* * *

 **| Naras are Scary |**

* * *

Naruto sighed, _again_ , thus making Shikamaru sigh.

 _Again._

"Just go." The Nara finally said, unable to keep his mouth shut any longer. It had only been an hour since they left Tsunade in her room, yet Naruto was acting as if he had been away from her for days.

"What?" Naruto asked, confused.

"I said go. You want to be with the Godaime, right? Then go. I'm not going to stop you."

"What're you talking about?" Naruto tired, chuckling awkwardly. "Why would I want to be with baa-chan at this hour?"

Shikamaru couldn't see his face, but he was almost positive the blond was trying to seem innocent and confused.

Once again, Shikamaru sighed.

"Look, I'm not going to judge either of you or anything, so just go. What you two do in private has nothing to do with me or anyone else." The Nara explained.

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Naruto tried, sitting up in his bed.

"Naruto, I already know that there's something going on between you two. I could see it in your eyes the moment we met up at the front gate." The Nara Head explained. "And I don't care. And if you're worried that I'll expose you two, don't be. I was being serious when I said you were going to be the next Hokage. And I was just as serious when I promised to be your right hand. You've earned my loyalty and discretion. Now go, before you try and lie to Nara again." That last sentence almost seemed like a challenge.

"Shikamaru…"

"Go."

Naruto was silent and very, very still for a moment, his mind racing, his heart beating faster than usual.

Shikamaru had already figured it out? He had already discovered their big secret from just their eyes?

And most importantly… he didn't care?

While it wasn't illegal or anything, the fact that Tsunade was so much older than him was a fear his beautiful lover had expressed on multiple occasions. She was worried that their peers would look at them in disgust, or even worse, at her like she was pathetic.

Naruto himself didn't think that would happen, but he was a bit worried that his friends might not approve. It didn't matter to him one way or another, but he respected Tsunade enough to keep their relationship a secret for the time being.

But now… the secret was out (sort of), and there wasn't a big fallout or speech.

There was only indifference. And that was actually relieving.

"You really are the smartest guy I know." Naruto said, getting out of bed with a thousand-watt smile on his face. "I'm lucky that someone like you will help me out when I become Hokage!" With that, Naruto was gone, leaving Shikamaru, finally, in peace.

"Troublesome." The Nara sighed.

But even in the dark, the small smile on his face was still noticeable.

* * *

 **| Naras are Scary |**

* * *

When Naruto knocked on her door, entering like he owned the place, she had been, at first, happy.

But then she remembered that there was a very suspicious genius in the other room, who would start to question if his temporary roommate went missing at this hour.

The smile on Naruto's face was only slightly reassuring.

"He knows!?" No matter what the idiot swore, she most certainly did not squeak again. "What do you mean, "he knows"?"

Naruto just shrugged, putting his hands behind his head and leaning into the pillows of the bed.

"He just knows." Naruto stated. Seeing her eyes narrow, he sighed. "I don't know _how_ he found out, but he did. He said that he could see it in our eyes the moment we met at the gate back in Konoha." He shrugged again. "He just knows."

Tsunade felt sick. He could _see it in their eyes_!? What the hell was that? Somewhere, in the back of her head, Tsunade became sure that the Nara were far too smart for their own good. For others' goods too.

"Shit." She cursed, her mouth suddenly dry. "What did he say?" Her eyes narrowed again. "What did _you_ say?"

Naruto finally stood, walking up to her and placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Tsunade, relax. He didn't say anything. Just the truth. That what we do in private is no one's business. That, and that it isn't his place to judge us." He led her to the bed, sitting her down. "We aren't doing anything wrong. We're two consenting adults, doing what adults do."

Tsunade felt even sicker. Naruto was making too much sense, and felt like the mature one in the relationship right now. It was too strange.

"I was worried for second, too, but Shikamaru didn't care at all. He promised he wouldn't say anything, too, so we don't have to worry about anyone else finding out yet." He cupped her cheek with his hand, steadying her with his presence alone. "He's going to be my right hand when I become Hokage, after all."

While slightly more relaxed than she had been at the start of this conversation, Tsunade still wasn't totally comfortable.

What did he really think? Did he no longer respect her as both a kunoichi and woman now? Did he view her as pathetic for 'seducing' someone so young? These were the things she worried about. Trifling, petty things, but she worried about them all the same. No matter her age, she was still a woman, after all.

But then she felt Naruto's arms wrap around her, pressing her body into his own. He touched her forehead with his, forcing her bronze eyes to clash against his azure ones, and _looked_ at her.

Those eyes. That gaze. The fire within them.

No one could escape it.

"I give you my word, Tsunade." Naruto began, his voice serious. "Shikamaru doesn't care what we do, and he's not going to tell anyone else, either. I can't stand the way you feel right now."

She swallowed, remembering that her young lover could sense negative emotions.

"You're a queen – _my queen_. You never have to worry what other people think." His statement brought goosebumps to her skin. "I dare anyone who feels that way towards you to say it to our faces. To my face."

He pulled his face away slightly.

"Everything's okay. I promise." His faith in Shikamaru was unshakable.

Tsunade just nodded, unable to do much more.

Then, Naruto smiled, his serious side fading to mischief.

"I hope you're not too tired, baa-chan, cause I'm _craving slug_."

Before she could scold him for calling her granny, she felt warm, wet lips press into hers, an eager tongue pushing into her mouth, ready to explore.

 _God, he was so good at this now. He really was a fast learner._

Tsunade only had one last thought before she melted into Naruto's… _enthusiasm_.

Nara's are scary.

* * *

 **| Fin |**

* * *

 **I have officially fallen totally in love with this pairing. Expect more of it from me.**

 **People really want to see the reactions of everyone to the pairing, but that's been done so many times before that it's hard to come up with something that isn't unbearably cringe worthy. I'll do a few people, of course, but don't be too upset if the person you wanted to react to the pairing doesn't.**

 **Shikamaru's anticlimactic reaction was literally the only way I could see Shikamaru react. It wasn't because I was being lazy, but because the character is chronically lazy. That, and he understands the whole "older woman" thing (am I the only one who absolutely adores Shikamaru x Temari?).**

 **Thanks for the support. This story is getting a lot of love, and that spurs me to write even more. Good for me and you, but unfortunate for my beta, who isn't diggin' the Naruto x Tsunade vibes.**

Dreaming of the Moon

 **I may not be feeling the Naruto x Tsunade vibes, but I'll do the job I agreed to, you know that by now, Moon. And I know, to those who know of my first work, that I placed Tsunade with Naruto in Master of His Fate. However! In that story they are Devils, and those beings have a very long life span. In light of that, it's incredibly easy to ignore a mere 30-some-odd year age difference.**

 **That being said, I'm still glad to see that this is popular enough to continue. …. yay?**

Dreaming of the Phoenix


	4. I Think I'm Addicted to You

**Dreaming of the Phoenix. Remember the name. THE beta.**

* * *

I Think I'm Addicted to You

* * *

The morning after was… awkward.

While not much sleep was had for Naruto and Tsunade, they had started the day totally refreshed and ready to continue their journey to Sunagakure.

Naruto had kept Tsunade company in the shower, starting the day off on a high note. She enjoyed their breakfast, as well, the two of them eating together like a normal couple. It was refreshing.

But then there was a knock on the door, and immediately, Tsunade's anxiety kicked in. This was it, the truth. She couldn't hide from Shikamaru, she couldn't keep this secret from him any longer. Naruto had stayed with her, in her room (in her bed!), and they couldn't possibly play it off anymore.

With a deep breath, Tsunade swallowed, walking over to the door and opening it.

She refused to look anywhere but straight at the Nara before her, pulling out bravery from somewhere she had not known was there.

"Godaime-sama." Shikamaru nodded his head in a respectful manner, like always. He met her gaze evenly, his eyes lazy. Just like always.

"Shikamaru." She greeted back, allowing the shadow manipulator to enter.

So far, so good.

Shikamaru entered the room, nodding to Naruto with a lazy tilt of his head.

"Yo." He said, sitting next to her blond lover without much thought.

"Morning." Naruto said, smiling. "Hungry?" He asked, gesturing to the food on the table before them.

Shikamaru rubbed his eyes tiredly, nodding. With a single yawn, he made his plate.

As the two friends ate, as if nothing was out of place, Tsunade just stared numbly at them, confused. Was she really worried for nothing? Was it really this easy? Did Shikamaru really not care that she and Naruto were seeing each other?

Was he really not disgusted?

She couldn't understand the mind of a Nara, she wasn't even going to try, but surely he had some kind of opinion on it… right?

"Are you done eating, Tsunade?" Naruto asked, breaking the Sannin out of her tirade of thoughts.

She cleared her throat, shaking her head. "Uh, no…" she muttered, joining the two men at the table. She sat, slowly, and watched Shikamaru like a hawk.

The young Nara did or said nothing, too busy spreading butter on his toast to notice her gaze on him.

Hesitantly, Tsunade began to finish her meal, occasionally glancing at both Naruto and Shikamaru. And while they sat in silence, it wasn't the tense, awkward kind.

Actually, it was sort of the opposite. Tsunade felt… oddly comfortable.

She gave Naruto a sidelong glance, and noticed him smiling at her. Immediately, she understood what that smile meant.

She returned the smile, missing the small little smirk that developed on Shikamaru's face.

* * *

 **| I Think I'm Addicted to You |**

* * *

Naruto's fame, it seemed, followed him everywhere.

After hours of travel, the three shinobi decided that they had made enough progress for the day. The sun was already starting to set, the orange and red streaks in the sky heralding the end of another day.

When they entered the small village proper, Naruto's fans had come running. Girls and boys alike, adults and children – everyone wanted to meet Uzumaki Naruto, the Hero of the Fourth.

"It's the Orange Hero!" A young woman's voice could be heard over the crowd.

"He's so handsome!" Another woman's voice shouted, this one slightly younger than the first.

"When I grow up, I want to be just like you!" A little boy confessed.

"Can you sign my kunai!?" Another boy shouted, this one obviously a teen.

Tsunade stood next to Shikamaru a short distance away from the crowd, watching Naruto rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment in the middle of so many people. The poor guy wasn't used to this kind of hero worship, even after two years of receiving it.

The slug Sannin sighed, shaking her head, a smirk on her face.

"Still the same old Naruto." She said fondly. It was humbling, to know that, even with so much fame and worship, Naruto was still Naruto. His fame hadn't changed him, and it probably never would. That made Tsunade happy.

"That guy wouldn't know what to do with so many fans if they flocked to him for a hundred years." Shikamaru said, smirking as he lit the cigarette he had just placed in his mouth. He took a drag, blowing smoke into the sky.

Tsunade gave a combination of a snort and chuckle. He had just hit the nail on the head.

"But that's what makes Naruto the kind of person you can't help but trust. To follow to the gates of Hell without a second thought." The Nara continued, taking another drag.

Tsunade glanced at the young Nara Head, silent.

"He's going to be the next Hokage. The Nanadaime." Shikamaru finally turned to meet the previous Hokage's gaze. "I plan to be by his side when that happens. Can you say the same, Tsunade-sama? Or will you run away when you can no longer hide your relationship with the beloved Hero of the Fourth?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, though she couldn't help the spark of fear and anxiety that flashed through her.

She couldn't respond.

Shikamaru's gaze was unrelenting, unflinching, unwavering. In that moment, in that brief heartbeat, Tsunade could have sworn that she was staring into the eyes of the previous Nara Head, Nara Shikaku.

"You need to seriously think about what you're doing, Tsunade." The Senju Princess didn't miss the way Shikamaru had addressed her. "Because if you decide you can't be with him, to _really_ be with him, then you and I…"

Shikamaru turned to face where Naruto was still being assaulted by his fans, smiling like an idiot without any worries in the world.

"… will have problems."

Tsunade's expression melted into one of stubborn anger. She huffed, turning her head to the side indignantly, crossing her arms under her chest.

"That's none of your business, Shikamaru." She spat, stubbornly.

The Nara Head took his cigarette from his mouth, tossing it onto the ground and grinding it into the dirt with his foot. Then, he sighed.

"It is now." He stated.

She looked at him, but before she could retort, she heard Naruto's voice.

"Jeez. That's still so weird." The blond chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Guess the world finally sees just how awesome I am." The sound of his laugh defused the tension between her and the black-haired jonin.

Tsunade sighed, shaking her head in exasperation.

"Idiot." She said with a smirk. "Come on, let's get a room."

* * *

 **| I Think I'm Addicted to You |**

* * *

That night, as she lay in her bed, Naruto's strong arms wrapped around her, Tsunade couldn't sleep.

She had been pissed when Shikamaru tried to tell her what she should or shouldn't do. Her relationship with Naruto didn't involve him in the slightest. In her mind, that meant he had no right to lecture her.

But… after the fear and anxiety had left her, and she thought on the warning he gave her, Tsunade understood that Shikamaru was right.

She had been so swept up in being with Naruto that she hadn't thought about what it meant to _be_ with Naruto.

The Uzumaki was famous, known all throughout the Elemental Nations. The whole bloody continent was in love with him. He had saved all of humanity, and helped unite the shinobi world. He ushered in peace to a war-torn world.

Not only that, but he was being groomed to become the next Hokage of Konoha. He was to lead an entire village. There was no way Uzumaki Naruto could fade into obscurity. He belonged to the public, to the people. And no matter how selfish she wanted to be, she couldn't keep him all to herself.

That left two plausible options.

The first involved her doing something she really, really didn't want to do. Leave Naruto. The mere idea of not waking up in his arms made her heart ache. His face, when she told him that they could no longer be together, after everything they had already done, made her want to punch something. Hard.

It was a betrayal, to her as much as to Naruto.

The second option was staying by his side, even if that meant telling the whole world that they were together. It made her stomach flip. How would everyone react? How would they take the large age gap between her and her, surprisingly, passionate lover?

And most importantly, how would they treat Naruto, once everyone knew?

There was just too much to possibly pick either option yet. While the former made her sick to her stomach to think about, the latter made her mouth dry and her body shake.

She didn't know what to do.

"Tsunade…" Naruto muttered in his sleep, sighing in such content it actually managed to calm her down.

She felt his arms tighten around her, bringing her closer to his body.

Tsunade exhaled, taking in the warmth of the man she loved. She allowed herself to melt in his embrace, snuggling into him as best she could, and began to drift asleep.

Whatever happened in the future was a problem for future Tsunade.

Right now, she just wanted to enjoy his touch.

* * *

 **| I Think I'm Addicted to You |**

* * *

Shikamaru didn't bring up the topic of her future with Naruto after the one time, something Tsunade was extremely grateful for.

She honestly didn't know what she was doing, or what she was going to do. She wished that she and Naruto could just run away to a place no one knew them. That way, they could be together without the dread of persecution.

She hated the fact that what other people thought made her so nervous, but it was frankly terrifying. What would Shizune say? What would _Sakura_ say?

She didn't even want to think about Hinata…

The Hyuuga girl had loved Naruto a lot longer than Tsunade herself had, though they had both hidden it for just as long.

Deciding that she wasn't going to be able to come up with an answer while on the trip, Tsunade simply put the topic to the back of her mind, foregoing it for happier thoughts.

Such as her blond lover's tendency to get hit on by cute young girls.

…

Wait…

"You really are as handsome as they say." A girl about the same age as Naruto was saying, far too close for Tsunade's tastes.

She had left the idiot outside for only a second, paying for the two rooms they were going to use for the night. After another day of traveling, they had decided to stop, coming to a village that was throwing some kind of celebration.

When she left the comfy inn, ready for a night of festivals with her fellow blond, she saw a brown-haired woman smiling and giggling with _her_ man.

"Is it true that you defeated a God?" She asked, sneakily moving closer to him.

"I'm not really supposed to talk about it." Naruto replied with a surprising amount of steel in his voice.

The girl squealed, putting _an arm around him_.

"You totally did, didn't you!?" She shouted, stars in her eyes.

Enough was enough.

Tsunade cleared her throat, walking closer to them. "Naruto, where is Shikamaru?" She asked, her tone feigning innocence.

"Tsunade!" Naruto suddenly shouted, immediately stepping closer to the Godaime Hokage, smiling. "Shikamaru? I don't know. Are you ready?"

Tsunade blinked, confused. "Um, yes." She said, allowing him to take her arm.

"Ah!" The girl shouted, stalking closer to them. "You're Tsunade-hime, aren't you? The Lady Fifth Hokage!" Her face came too close to Tsunade's. "You're so pretty!"

Tsunade gave a half-hearted smile. "Thanks…"

She felt Naruto begin to drag her away from the girl, but the brunette didn't falter, following.

"Are you two attending the festivities?" She asked, before looking shocked. "Oh, forgive me! My name's Rin. Tachibana Rin."

"Nice to meet you, Tachibana-san." Tsunade replied respectfully.

"Likewise." Her smile seemed too forced. "I could show you two around, if you want."

Before she could respond, Naruto beat her to it.

"Thanks, but no thanks." The look in his eyes was harder than what she thought was necessarily polite, his tone a bit too cold. "We'll be fine on our own."

The young woman, Rin, as she introduced herself, gave Naruto a look that Tsunade didn't like at all. It seemed… seductive.

"Oh?" Rin began. "But I'm sure I could show you such a _good time_." Tsunade didn't like the tone of her voice either. It was silky and nearly a purr.

The Sannin was still confused, but she wasn't stupid. She could put two and two together and get four.

Again, Tsunade opened her mouth to say something, but Naruto started first.

"Really." He said, stopping. He looked into the woman's eyes, and Tsunade saw her lover's azure orbs become slits. "We're fine. So if you'd please leave us alone…"

Rin just stared at him for a moment, her expression blank. Then, without preamble, the young woman smiled brightly.

"Of course. Sorry if I bothered you." She bowed slightly. "I hope you enjoy the festival." Her smile was so fake it almost made Tsunade balk.

Nevertheless, Tachibana Rin turned and left them alone in the bustling street. Tsunade saw how Naruto glared at her for a moment, before turning to her and smiling apologetically.

"Sorry about that." He chuckled. "Some people, right?"

Tsunade just nodded, staring up at him – he really had gotten tall – with a curious expression. While the girl had been obviously flirting with him, she hadn't done anything to gain the amount of irritation Naruto was showing her.

Had something happened while she was in the inn?

"So, what would you like to do first?" He asked her, his previous sour mood all but forgotten.

She decided to ignore the pit in her stomach and returned his smile. They spent the rest of the night exploring the festival, Naruto winning her a bracelet with the symbol of the Land of Fire on it at one of the stalls.

And while she did enjoy herself, she couldn't help but wonder what had made Naruto so upset with a stranger who seemed only slightly too interested in him.

* * *

 **| I Think I'm Addicted to You |**

* * *

"You're early." Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage of Sunagakure no Sato stated, his expression betraying nothing as he stared at his three guests.

"We take great pride in our response time, Kazekage-sama." Uzumaki Naruto, the Hero of the Fourth, stated, his expression just as blank as the red-headed Kage before him.

There was a silence in the Kazekage's office for a few seconds, Gaara of the Desert staring at the three Konoha-nin that had entered his office only minutes prior. Then, the previous Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi smiled.

"It's good to see you, my friend." Gaara said, standing.

"It's been too long, dattebayo!" Naruto replied as he moved closer to the youngest Kage in history. Once they were close enough, Naruto hugged the Kazekage. "How's everything going in the west?"

Gaara's face showed just how happy he was to see his old friend. Naruto had saved the Kazekage from not only himself, but from a life of misery and blood. The Orange Hero opened his eyes to the potential he possessed, and how beautiful this ugly world could truly be. Gaara owed Uzumaki Naruto more than he could possibly ever repay.

"Kaze no Kuni is more prosperous than it ever has been, thanks to the alliance. Our economy has never been so stable before." Gaara explained, taking his seat once again. "Sunagakure in particular owes a lot of our stability and advancements to you and Konoha." He smiled, glancing at the Godaime. "And with your help, Tsunade-dono, we'll be eternally in debt." His words weren't said with any disdain whatsoever.

Both Tsunade and Naruto chuckled, with the latter responding. "Don't mention it, man. That's what the alliance was created for. We're no longer a divided nation. We're united. A Shinobi Union."

Gaara smiled, nodding, before turning his attention to the Nara present. "Shikamaru-san, my sister is waiting for you at the academy. She wanted me to let you know to meet her there." The Kazekage developed a subtle smirk. "I wouldn't keep her waiting long."

Both Tsunade and Shikamaru caught the undertone of the red-heads statement, though Naruto seemed just as clueless as ever. He was an idiot, but he was Tsunade's idiot.

Shikamaru sighed. "Are all blondes so troublesome?" He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to express annoyance. Though he couldn't hide the eagerness in his eyes from the Kazekage.

When the Nara stalked off, leaving the office, Gaara continued. "So, how long do we have the pleasure of hosting the great Tsunade of the Sannin and the Hero of the Fourth War?" He asked, his voice holding obvious fond amusement.

"We can only stay ten days." Tsunade replied. "We're visiting the other major villages as well, and can't afford to stay in any one for too long."

Gaara nodded, completely understanding. He couldn't keep them all to himself.

"Alright then. Tsunade-dono, the hospital is expecting you. The medic-nin have been gathering since they got the news that you were coming." He chuckled softly. "They're very eager to meet you."

Tsunade smiled. "And I them." She admitted, always enjoying spreading the knowledge to heal. There was enough death and despair in the world. And, hopefully, her medical techniques could help change that.

Gaara's eyes fell on his brother through pain. "I have a few things to attend to here, but I was wondering if you'd join me for dinner, Naruto?" Gaara asked. "We have much catching up to do."

"Of course." Naruto said right away, his giant smile betraying his eagerness. And then it seemed as if something dawned on him. "Uh, would it be okay if Tsunade joined us?"

Tsunade's eyes had been on Naruto, so when he asked the question, she had to snap them onto the Kazekage with the kind of speed only a shinobi could manage.

And unfortunately, it seemed that Gaara had noticed.

The former Jinchuuriki was silent for a moment, as if contemplating something for a single second, before it was gone.

"Of course. I would be honored." Gaara finally said, standing once more and holding his hand out for Naruto.

Seeing the offered appendage, Naruto took the leader of the Hidden Sand's hand and shook it.

"Until this evening, then." Gaara said, still smiling.

"Can't wait." Naruto said, mirroring his smile.

"Tsunade-dono." Gaara bowed his head slightly, showing the previous Hokage the respect she still deserved. Retired or not, she still held the rank of Fire Shadow. A true master shinobi.

Tsunade returned the bow easily. Gaara had earned the respect of just about everyone. So young, and yet so wise.

With that said and done, Naruto and Tsunade left the Kazekage's office, heading back to where they would be staying for the remainder of the trip to await for when Gaara called for them to have dinner.

* * *

 **| I Think I'm Addicted to You |**

* * *

Dinner had been rather pleasant actually. Naruto was his usual self, going on and on about the most random things. And all the while, both Tsunade and Gaara simply sat back and enjoyed his positivity with a subtle smile.

Uzumaki Naruto could warm the soul. It was one of the reasons she loved him so much.

Gaara discussed simple things as well. How the academy was coming along under Temari's guidance. How they were receiving more missions from the Wind Daimyo than ever, the man and his court having faith in the "greatest Kazekage in history."

And in the young, red-headed man's opinion, it was all because of Naruto. Both Gaara and all of Kaze no Kuni viewed her lovable idiot as a true hero.

Afterwards, they had parted ways with the Kazekage, with Naruto promising to have dinner again the next day. Tsunade had been worried that Gaara would figure out that they were in a relationship like Shikamaru had. After all, while not as intelligent as the now Nara Head, Gaara was certainly as insightful as him. Especially when it concerned his closest friend.

But he hadn't, or, at least Tsunade thought he hadn't. He didn't say anything on the matter, so she took that as a good thing. She couldn't stand how she was so worried about something so trivial, but she couldn't help it.

She didn't want to mess up what she had with Naruto. She didn't want to lose him. Ever.

When they returned to the rooms provided for them by Gaara (three rooms, all on the same floor), Naruto never made it to his own. Instead, he spent the night with the woman he loved.

* * *

 **| I Think I'm Addicted to You |**

* * *

Naruto was a determined person. He always had been. It's what Tsunade loved and hated equally about him.

On one hand, when he gave you his word, it was as good as done. He never went back on it. That was his ninja way, his whole existence revolved around it. It was admirable.

On the other, his determination could, and oftentimes did, get him hurt. His promise to Sakura to bring back Sasuke the prime example. He'd kill himself before he went back on his promises. It was infuriating.

Ever since she became Naruto's lover, however, she couldn't thank kami enough how determined he was to be good at everything he did. Of course, he wasn't a prodigy at everything. But Naruto was, probably unconsciously, a perfectionist. He wanted to be the best.

At. Everything. He. Did.

And since they started seeing each other, he usually did _her_.

At first, Naruto was very inexperienced in _that_ department. His hands roamed and groped flesh wildly, as if every time they made love would be the last. That was normal for first and second-timers, though.

But with practice (lots and lots of practice), he improved with leaps and bounds.

He now knew all of her sensitive spots, each and every one of them. He knew exactly where she wanted it, and how much she wanted. In the beginning, he didn't know how to please a woman, how to please her. Much of his efforts were to experience the newfound sensations on his own. It wasn't his fault, though. Sex was a new world to him. She expected it.

But now…

Now that he knew what he was doing, Tsunade couldn't get enough of her very thorough and dedicated idiot.

Naruto was a pleaser by nature. He desired attention more than anything, craved it like he was starving for it. A large part of that was the fault of Konoha's villagers. The very same villagers that now worshiped the ground he walked on.

And now Tsunade was a terrible person, she didn't doubt it at all. Because when he was loving her the way he was like right now, she couldn't help but thank them.

She could feel his warmth. His flesh against hers. He was sweaty, but so was she. It was part of the course. A very fun course.

Tsunade moaned into his mouth as he continued to move his hips, thrusting with all his might. And god was he strong. If it was anyone else, Tsunade thought they he might actually injure them. But not her.

She hadn't been more happy that she was the greatest medic-nin since her grandfather ever before than now.

They had been going at it all night. Hours spent losing themselves in each other. The world faded away. Nothing else existed. Just two people, in love and lost in waves of pleasure and happiness.

Two kindred spirits, connected in every way currently possible. Lovers in a desert paradise.

When they reached climax, Tsunade couldn't help but laugh at her lover's words as he immediately, without pause (a very impressive accomplishment), started over once again. The idiot had unlimited stamina.

"I think I'm addicted to you."

* * *

 **| Fin |**

* * *

 **The little bit with 'Rin Tachibana' will be explained in the next couple chapters (possibly the next).**

 **When Shikamaru's father, Shikaku, died, and Shikamaru apologized to him that he had to stay alive to help Naruto when he became Hokage since Naruto didn't have a brother like Hashirama did, I literally cried. I love Shikamaru, always have, but in that moment, he evolved from this lazy sometimes-ass, to this wonderful character that I absolutely think is awesome. That's the Shikamaru I tried to write in this chapter. A protective brother.**

 **Also, I just posted a story called I am Become Death. I'd appreciate it if everyone would go take a look at it and leave a review. Thanks.**

Dreaming of the Moon


	5. My Idiot

**They say God made the world in seven days. My beta edited this chapter in one. Just saying.**

* * *

My Idiot

* * *

When Uzumaki Naruto gave you the Uzumaki Grin (as his friends had begun calling it), you knew something was wrong.

"What?" Shikamaru asked, finally annoyed enough by _that look_ to speak up. He hated that look. It meant Naruto was either up to something, or knew something you really didn't want him to.

Pranksters were exhausting to keep up with…

"Nothing, nothing." Naruto all but sang, his expression still one of evil intent (as concluded by the Nara).

"I'm not playing this game with you, Naruto." Shikamaru replied, narrowing his eyes. He was already a naturally paranoid person. How couldn't he be? He had an IQ that was steadily getting closer and closer to 300. His mind constantly ran through scenarios, even with random, unimportant things.

He understood that people were capable of anything, and that it only took a single move for them to do something they'd normally never do. He could predict human action and reaction, even when he didn't wish to. It was troublesome as all hell.

That led to a very paranoid Shikamaru, and Naruto wasn't helping at all with that damned _look_.

"What game?" Naruto asked, still playing innocent.

He was a shitty actor, in Shikamaru's unbiased opinion.

The two nineteen year old shinobi were waiting for Tsunade outside of the hospital. The three Konoha-born shinobi had made plans with Temari and Gaara for lunch, and Naruto insisted on waiting for the Godaime instead of meeting her at the restaurant.

And ever since Naruto had met Shikamaru outside the building they were staying at for their duration in Suna, he wouldn't stop smirking in that infuriating way.

And worse, he was keeping his reason for it to himself in a very un-Naruto-like manner. The ass.

What did the troublesome blond know?

* * *

 **| My Idiot |**

* * *

After an amazing and friendly lunch at the local BBQ restaurant, Naruto and Gaara made their way to Gaara's personal training facility, an indoor ring much like the arena in the Forest of Death they used for the preliminaries way back in the day, when Naruto had first met Gaara.

Tsunade returned to the hospital to spend another few hours with the aspiring medic-nin, actually enjoying herself. She found excitement in her work again after so many years, like an old spark reignited suddenly.

Shikamaru and Temari returned to the academy to speak with the instructors about the upcoming Chunin Exams. They knew the genin of Suna better than most, and knew how to best challenge them, even if they had the home field advantage.

"What do you say, Naruto? Brave enough to go a round with the Kazekage?" Gaara asked, smirking.

Naruto, never one to back down, returned the smirk.

"I hope you've been training, Lord Kazekage." Naruto retorted. "I know you're busy and all, but I wouldn't want to start an international incident for kicking your butt too hard."

Gaara laughed. "We shall see." The Godaime wanted to see if the fame had gone to the Hero of the Fourth's head. Pride cometh before the fall, after all.

They entered the training arena, Naruto having already taken off his jacket, and Gaara placing his Kage hat to the side along with his robes.

"Whenever you're ready, _Genin Uzumaki_." Gaara offered, baiting his friend with his ridiculous rank. Naruto was more powerful than all of the Kage, and each one of them knew it.

His words seemed to have the desired effect, though. Naruto's eyes narrowed and he dashed forward without much thought. So, basically in a very Naruto-y fashion.

Sand speckled with flakes of gold rose just in time to meet a gilded fist.

* * *

 **| My Idiot |**

* * *

Tsunade felt the incredible clash of chakra before she heard the shouts of excitement.

She couldn't be sure, but it certainly felt like her idiot of a lover was going overboard again. And when the door leading to the room she had all but taken over for her latest lecture suddenly burst open, and a rather handsome young shinobi shouted, "Kazekage-sama is going at it with the Orange Hero in the training arena!" she knew she was right.

Naruto didn't understand what the word restraint meant.

When there were more sudden burst of powerful chakra colliding with each other, and the entire hospital seemed to _shake_ , Tsunade sighed.

"Idiot." She whispered under her breath even as she developed a small smirk.

* * *

 **| My Idiot |**

* * *

"Lord Gaara is sparring with the Hero of the Fourth!" A young kunoichi chunin shouted even as she ran towards the very arena.

Another loud _boom!_

The academy building shook, frightening some of the younger students.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered under his breath.

"They better not wreck that arena." Temari said from beside the lazy Nara. "We just repaired the damn thing from the last time that idiot was here."

Shikamaru smirked at the slightly older woman. "Don't get your hopes up, babe." He said, leaning back. "Restraint isn't in the Naruto Shinobi Handbook."

"The what?" Temari asked with an expression like she just ate a lemon.

"Nothing. Never mind."

* * *

 **| My Idiot |**

* * *

When Tsunade finally arrived on the scene, Naruto was nothing but a disembodied head in a sea of golden-flaked sand.

Without missing a step, the Sannin walked right over the struggling blond, squatted down, and flicked him on the forehead.

"Oi! What was that for!?" Naruto shouted, wiggling around, trying to free himself from his sand prison.

"Because you're an idiot." Tsunade stated easily, flicking him on the forehead again.

"Hey! Stop that!" He demanded, though he wasn't very impressive as a stick in the, in this case, sand.

Gaara simply watched the dynamic from across the arena. He was sweating profusely and already feeling the exhaustion that always came with going up against Uzumaki Naruto, even in a simple spar.

"Oi, look at that!" A shinobi across the room shouted happily. "Kazekage-sama is even stronger than the Hero of Konoha!"

"Lord Gaara is a Kage, after all." A kunoichi said with slightly less… _gusto_.

"Lord Kazekage is the best Kage out there!" Yet another shinobi shouted from the sidelines.

Tsunade looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow. "Did you let him win again?" She asked softly so that only Naruto could hear her.

The orange-clan ninja didn't respond or even look at her.

Tsunade smiled gently, sighing as she shook her head. He really was an idiot, but she couldn't help but love him for it.

"Come on, get out of that sand already." The previous Hokage ordered.

Naruto looked indignant for a moment, before his entire body lit up with golden flames, the sand trapping him exploding all around them.

He was free.

The amount of sheer chakra he released made the watching shinobi and kunoichi fall silent.

"Naruto…" Tsunade said in an eerily calm and sweet tone.

Tsunade didn't do ' _sweet_.'

Naruto turned slowly to face the Sannin, trying to banish the sudden fear in his gut that appeared out of nowhere.

"Y-Yes, Tsunade-sama?" He asked with as much respect the idiot could muster. When he saw that the beautiful older woman was now covered in sand, he tried to chuckle humorlessly. "Uh… sorry?"

For a moment, Naruto actually thought the Senju princess was going to hit him. And even though they were, secretly, lovers, he knew she was not the type of person to pull her punches.

When her hand sprang forward, he flinched. Chakra cloak or not, Tsunade's punches _hurt_.

But instead of 'love-tapping' his ass into the concrete wall (and probably _through_ the concrete wall), she simply gripped his shirt and brought his face very, very close to his.

Leaning in, she whispered something only he could hear.

"I need a shower."

Naruto just blinked, confused. Where was the rage? The pain? The string of curses?

"Um… okay…" He finally whispered.

She turned around, heading for the exit. When he simply stood there, still confused, she turned around.

"Well?" She said expectantly. "Are you coming or not?" The look he received from the woman he loved made Naruto's face turn tomato red.

She needed a shower.

He lifted his arm, smelling himself and smiling like the idiot he was.

He needed a shower, too.

Tsunade must have seen the realization in his eyes, because she returned his smirk and sauntered off towards their rooms.

"Sorry, Gaara!" Naruto shouted as he followed pursuit. "I stink!" He exclaimed _far too happily_ for what he was saying.

The Kazekage was quickly left alone with the spectators his and Naruto's spar had gained, an awkward silence filling the air.

"Did he seem happy to stink to you, too?" A man Gaara knew to be a jonin asked in confusion, his face scrunching up.

* * *

 **| My Idiot |**

* * *

It was late. They should have been asleep by now, but Naruto and Tsunade enjoyed the peace and quiet the night gave them.

Tsunade was pressed up against her blond lover, her head resting on his chest. One of his arms was wrapped around her, lightly rubbing her arm as they just laid there, enjoying each other's company.

Their legs were intertwined, a favored position for both. Tsunade's smooth skin against his was probably the most addicting feeling in the world.

She was addicting.

"You've got a stupid look on your face." Tsunade stated, though her voice was so soft and loving that Naruto nearly missed what she said entirely.

"No I don't" He replied with little care. He knew he was smiling like an idiot, but he couldn't help it. These were his favorite times with Tsunade. When they weren't doing anything except holding each other. When nothing else mattered but one another. When the rest of the world didn't exist.

"You're right." Tsunade said into his neck, gently kissing his sensitive skin. "That's what you always look like." She said in between kissed, smiling.

Naruto's eyes fought to stay open, his skin developing goosebumps as she literally took his breath away.

He didn't respond.

Tsunade continued to explore the flesh of his neck, going further down, placing soft pecks along his collarbone. Her smile widened as Naruto's only response was to moan happily, his breathing becoming fast and shallow.

Right now, Senju Tsunade was his whole world.

Naruto had never received much physical contact as a child, a crucial aspect of a person's young life. When he got older, he experienced more physical contact, though it was as a shinobi and usually in the form of cuts and bruises.

The point? Every time Tsunade touched him in a new place, it was the first time he was ever touched there so gently and passionately. Every new touch was a new experience for him, a new world that he embraced completely when she wished to explore it.

When her warm skin was pressed into his, he rejoiced. When she kissed him all over, he melted. And when she made love to him, he lost himself in her soul.

Before they knew it, Tsunade's kisses turned into another round of their favorite, late night activity.

They didn't get much sleep that night.

* * *

 **| My Idiot |**

* * *

"I think Naruto knows about us." Shikamaru stated suddenly. He and Temari were enjoying a meal together at her apartment, like they had every night since he'd been in the village.

Temari just blinked, taking a sip of her wine.

"How?" She asked, though not angrily.

Shikamaru contemplated that for a moment. "I think not showing up at night gave it away." He said dryly. "And we're always together… Even that idiot can put two and two together and sometimes get four."

Temari nodded. "Are you uncomfortable with people knowing about us? With Naruto knowing?" She asked, carefully trying not to sound too interested.

Shikamaru looked at her, his eyes meeting hers for a brief, intimate moment that they shared only in the privacy of Temari's home.

"Not in the least." He said with conviction.

The blonde-haired woman smiled at the Nara before her, a gentle smile that not even her brothers usually saw.

"Good." She said, continuing to eat her meal.

Shikamaru didn't make it back to his room that night either.

* * *

 **| My Idiot |**

* * *

"You can stop giving him that look of yours now, Naruto." Temari said to the Orange Hero as she found him about to enter the hospital.

Naruto turned to face the familiar blonde. "Oh?" He asked. "Did whatever you want to test work out?" He asked, still wondering what Temari wanted to know about Shikamaru was.

Temari smirked. "Yes, It did." She said. "Thank you for the assist."

Temari had approached Naruto with a favor, though she wouldn't tell him what his 'look' was for. Only that she wanted to know something, but couldn't just ask the Nara Head outright.

The blonde-haired kunoichi left, waving goodbye. Naruto stared at the retreating woman for a moment, trying to figure out what she was up to.

When he couldn't think of anything, he chalked it up to weird stuff girls do and dropped. He wanted to see Tsunade in action, and he was wasting time trying to figure Gaara's sister out when he still had to figure his own woman out.

Women were complicated creatures.

* * *

 **| My Idiot |**

* * *

"Eh!?" Naruto all but screeched after Tsunade's… _revelation_. "Shikamaru and Temari are seeing each other!?" He asked, baffled. "Since when!?"

Tsunade sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"For a couple years, if I had to guess." Tsunade said tiredly, wondering how he was still alive. "You really didn't see it?"

"What? No. I had no idea!" He shouted. Then he was silent, as if he were contemplating something. "Are you sure they're really together? Absolutely positive?"

Again, Tsunade sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. She loved him, she really did, but damn was he slow on the upkeep.

"Yes, Naruto. I'm positive." She answered. "It's fairly obvious. They didn't try very hard to hide it, if at all."

Naruto rubbed his chin. "How could I have missed it…?" He wondered, thinking back to all the times he saw them together, how friendly they had seemed, how comfortable they were with one another. Then, he shook his head. "Nope… I just can't see it."

Tsunade actually laughed at that statement.

"You're lucky you're so handsome."

Naruto smiled at the compliment, before narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "Wait… what does that mean?"

Tsunade laughed again.

* * *

 **| My Idiot |**

* * *

On the last night of their stay in Suna, Naruto and Tsunade found themselves relaxing in Tsunade's room after a nice dinner with Gaara – at his house this time, instead of eating out. Gaara had even cooked the dinner himself.

It wasn't very good, but that wasn't the point. It was the thought that counted, and both Naruto and Tsunade appreciated the gesture.

They hadn't said much as they laid in bed, simply resting after a long day of work for Tsunade (it being her last day, she tried to cram in everything she may have left out before they left) and shadowing the Kazekage for Naruto (Gaara said it would help him out when he became Hokage if he knew what being a Kage entailed).

Shikamaru had been with Temari the entire day, and no one had seen or heard from either of them since the day before.

Naruto couldn't help but wonder what they were doing. And he probably guessed right, Tsunade thought, if the Jinchuuriki's mad blushing was any indication.

Tsunade had been content with just lying in his arms, but then she remembered something.

"Hey, Naruto?" She asked softly.

"Hmm?" He hummed.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked, this time with more interest in her tone.

Naruto slowly turned to look down and meet her beautiful bronze eyes with his sky blues. "What is it?" He asked. Tsunade was never so… cautious when speaking with him when it was just the two of them.

For a moment, it seemed like Tsunade wasn't going to say anything, until she just asked the question that had been bugging her for a while now.

"Tachibana Rin." Tsunade said the name slowly, carefully. "The girl we met at the festival on our way here."

Naruto was silent for a few seconds, before answering. "What about her?" He asked, also carefully.

"You seemed… really angry with her." She admitted. "More than was necessary. Why?" She didn't mean to sound demanding, it just came out that way. Tsunade couldn't figure out why she cared so much, but ever since that night, it bothered her. Naruto's anger, the way he lost his temper.

Naruto never lost his temper like that without good reason.

So what happened? Why hadn't he just told her?

Again, Naruto was quiet. Tsunade worried that she upset him for bringing it up, but she wouldn't just drop it. She was too curious what had happened between that woman and Naruto before she had arrived.

Finally, Naruto sighed. "When I was traveling with Ero-Sennin, we visited more brothels than I care to remember." He admitted.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes, trying not to curse her dead teammate. "That pervert…" She mumbled under her breath.

"I never used the women's… services, obviously." Naruto continued. "So when I waiting for sensei to… finish… I talked to a lot of the women that worked in them." He smiled, though it wasn't a happy one. "When you get to know them – prostitutes – you understand that they're just people, too. They're just trying to survive in this unforgiving world, just like us."

Tsunade just listened as Naruto spoke like a wise adult instead of a silly knucklehead he always pretended to be.

"That woman, Tachibana Rin. She was a prostitute." He said, frowning. "She recognized me as the Hero of the Fourth right away and asked if I wanted to sleep with her." Tsunade didn't say anything, but Naruto kept rubbing her arm softly. "When I declined, she offered herself up to me for free."

Tsunade could tell that, while Naruto didn't judge women who sold their bodies for a living, he also didn't like the idea that there were some women out there that _had_ to to survive. He understood that the world wasn't a happy, fair place, but he still wished it was at least kinder.

It was times like these that made her wonder if the 'idiot' persona of her lover was all just for show. Because when he spoke like this, he seemed wise and mature beyond his years.

"I declined again after that, and told her I was there with my girlfriend." It was here that she saw Naruto's frown deepened. "She… she disrespected you."

Tsunade blinked. "She… disrespected me?" She asked.

Naruto looked away. "Well… not directly, but yeah, she disrespected you… In a way…" He swallowed, obviously uncomfortable with what he was about to say. "She said that anything you did, she could do better. And that… that I would forget all about my 'ordinary girlfriend' when she was finished."

Tsunade, again, blinked.

"She was making fun of you, without even knowing who you were. And she wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. And when you showed up, and she _still_ wouldn't leave, I… kinda got angry."

Tsunade wasn't looking at him anymore, instead staring down, towards their feet.

"I didn't want to say anything because I was embarrassed, and I didn't want to upset you during the festival." He explained, worried by her lack of response. "Tsunade?" He finally asked.

"Are you angry?" He asked carefully. When she started shaking, he sat up, now very worried. "I should have told you… I'm –"

It was then that Tsunade couldn't hold it in anymore and broke out into uncontrollable laughter.

"Wha?" Naruto tried, confused. He had never heard her laugh so hard.

For Tsunade, it was probably the single most adorable and idiotic thing she had ever heard.

Adorable in the fact that Naruto took it personally when a prostitute badmouthed her (without even knowing who she was). And she used the term 'badmouthed' loosely. To Tsunade, it was hardly anything worth even getting annoyed over. But Naruto, bless his orange soul, took it to heart.

And idiotic in being so utterly pointless and un-noteworthy that she felt stupid for even worrying about it.

After she managed to quell her laughter, Naruto asked, "You're not mad?"

This led Tsunade to laugh once again, only stopping when he began to pout. "No, Naruto. I'm not mad." She swore, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And Naruto?" she asked through a soft chuckle.

"Yeah?"

"You're an idiot." She said as she kissed him more passionately than she ever had before.

She had a single thought as the kiss deepened and led to something more. _But you're…_

 _My idiot_.

* * *

 **| Fin |**

* * *

 **In the anime/manga, Naruto can switch from incredibly wise and understandable to outright stupid and unintelligible with the flip of a coin. That's the Naruto I tried to write in this chapter.**

Dreaming of the Moon (pr. 1)

 **In point of fact, Moon, I finished checking this in less than 20 minutes. That being said, this was endearingly sappy… and I'm trying to decide if I should punch you for it, or get revenge some other way…**

Dreaming of the Phoenix

 **In case some of you are like my friend Phoenix, let me spell it out for you, just in case you haven't figured it out yet. THIS IS A PURELY FLUFF FIC! FLUFF, FLUFF, AND MORE FLUFF. NUFF.**

Dreaming of the Moon (pt. 2)


	6. To Love

**There is a sorta-lemon at the end, but it's important to the story and as clean as I could make it without feeling ridiculous. The cake is fake but my beta ain't.**

* * *

To Love

* * *

Tsunade smiled, her eyes closed, sighing in content.

"I love you."

The three words, whispered in her ear by a man she trusted her heart and soul to, brought a rush of warmth to her chest.

The words, combined with gentle fingers running up and down and across her naked back and neck, left her skin covered in goosebumps.

"Oh?" She half whispered, half moaned. "Is that so?"

Her lover, her man, her _idiot_ , laid next to her in the bed they shared in Sunagakure no Sato as naked as she was, half of his body draped in sheets as he rubbed her back softly.

Even with her eyes closed, Tsunade could feel Naruto's gaze on her.

"Definitely." He stated certainly, his ardent response making her chuckle.

She cracked a single eye open slowly, bronze drifting across the handsome face of Uzumaki Naruto.

"I love you, too, Naruto." She swore in a gentle, sincere tone. Her eyes drank in the blue of his, and in that moment, she wondered how she was ever able to live without this person in her life.

That contagious smile of his lit his features, his entire face lighting up as if he were the happiest person in the whole wide world. And maybe he was.

"I want to tell Gaara about us." He whispered, his eyes still peering into hers, determination welling in them.

Tsunade, surprisingly, didn't feel the nervous, anxious feeling that usually came with others finding out about her relationship with her blond lover.

"I figured you would." She replied, not unhappy or scared. "You share something special with him. I understand the desire to share this secret with him too."

Naruto smiled at her, unknowing of just how beautiful she thought that smile was. She wished he smiled like that more often. That wish was thoroughly squashed by the selfish part of her heart that wanted that smile all to herself.

"Can I?" He asked hopefully, his fingers still gently rubbing her back in unintelligible patterns. "Do you mind? I know he wouldn't think differently of you. He always talks about how much he respects you."

Tsunade sighed, though not in annoyance. It was a content sigh, a peaceful sigh. She wondered if the sudden desire to rub her back was a sneaky tactic to butter her up.

But then she remembered that Naruto didn't have a deceptive bone in his body, and wore his heart on his sleeve.

"No, I don't mind at all." She said honestly, smiling softly at his bright expression.

"Thank you, Tsunade." He said, leaning in close to press his lips into her neck, unintentionally making her moan. Without leaning back out, he said, "I really do love you."

His words were so soft and quiet that she barely heard them. But she did, and she had the warm butterflies in her stomach to prove it.

* * *

 **| To Love |**

* * *

Gaara blinked, slowly and deliberately. Once, twice, three times before he finally smiled at his best friend.

"Is that so?" He said amusingly. Naruto had just admitted to being in a relationship with the Godaime Hokage, the Slug Princess, a Sannin.

With Senju Tsunade.

And all Gaara could do was smile.

"Yeah…" Naruto nodded, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "We celebrated her birthday together and it sorta just… happened." He said, blushing.

The two powerful men were seated in Gaara's office, sipping at the tea his assistant had made for them just seconds ago. Naruto and Tsunade would be returning to Konoha today, and Gaara wished to spend a few more hours with his friend before he returned. They were both very busy people and didn't get to visit each other often.

The Kazekage was silent for a few minutes, thinking over the virtual bombshell the blond shinobi just dropped on him only an hour before said blond shinobi was scheduled to depart from Suna.

Finally he said, "Are you happy?" It was three simple words, yet they were said with such intensity they practically demanded to be answered.

Gaara was a fiercely protective person when it came to the people he held dear in his heart, the people he loved. And he loved Uzumaki Naruto. As a friend, savior, and brother.

"Absolutely." Naruto responded without delay, the conviction in his voice nearly palpable. His serious expression faded with a smile, his right hand coming to his heart. "She makes me feel…" He paused, blushing again. This was obviously embarrassing for him to admit. "She makes me feel like Kurama's chakra is running through me, but all the time."

Gaara smirked, but stayed silent. He could understand the thrill and rush of excitement that a Bijuu's chakra could give its Jinchuuriki. That much raw power could be addicting, especially in Naruto's case, where instead of the dread of demonic corruption Gaara always felt when channeling Shukaku's chakra, Naruto could channel the purified form of Bijuu chakra. The beautiful chakra of one of the Sage of Six Paths' creations.

Even simply being near Naruto when he was in his chakra cloak made Gaara feel stronger, as if the very aura of it cleansed the soul.

As Naruto continued to speak, his smile never left his face.

"I feel invincible when I hold her." He admitted, his embarrassment fading. "And when she kisses me, she takes my breath away and I feel like I could do anything." The look in his friend's eyes nearly brought Gaara to tears.

"She makes me feel like I can be better, like I can be _more._ I've always wanted to be Hokage and I still do, but when I'm with her, it doesn't feel like the end-all-be-all it's always seemed to me." He chuckled, rubbing his neck again. "I know how it sounds, but… I…"

When Naruto said his next words, staring into Gaara's eyes with unlimited passion and contentment, the Kazekage let the tears he was holding back fall down his face.

He had found it, the thing people like him and Naruto were never supposed to find. Something Gaara found in becoming the Kazekage and knowing that his people entrusted their hearts and dreams to him.

"I love her."

Gaara smiled, unashamed of the tears that fell down his pale cheeks.

"That's all that matters then."

He found love.

* * *

 **| To Love |**

* * *

Tsunade didn't know how the talk went with Gaara, or what was said between the two powerful young shinobi, but when Naruto walked out of the Kazekage's office, he looked so refreshed and happy that Tsunade couldn't help but feel the same.

Naruto's smiles and laughter were contagious like that.

Tsunade had thought that Naruto would have been upset about leaving Suna. He rarely saw Gaara and always complained about wanting to take missions that would put him in the Hidden Sand.

That, and the fact that they were able to walk around together with a fair amount of safety of not being seen by people they knew on a personal level.

While Tsunade was okay with Naruto telling Gaara their secret, she still wasn't sure she was comfortable with everyone knowing just yet.

But he wasn't. However their conversation went, Naruto had left Suna at her side with only a happy smile and a confident swagger.

She rather liked it, too. A confident Naruto was an attractive Naruto.

"You seem happy." She finally said. It was only the two of them since Shikamaru still had to continue his mission and stay for another few weeks. The journey so far was spent in very comfortable silence, holding each other's hands and walking at a comfortable pace.

They weren't in any rush to get home.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He asked, smiling at her. "I got you all to myself!" He stated victoriously.

Tsunade smirked and snorted. "That's not the only reason." She said amusingly. "How did your talk with Gaara go?" She asked curiously.

"Great." Naruto replied, sighing happily. "He was a little shocked at first but was happy for me once he understood how much I love you."

The easiness in the way Naruto could say that he loved her still made her blush like she was a little girl again (something that greatly irritated her).

"He even cried, he was so happy." Naruto continued, laughing. "He looks grim and serious on the surface, but he's really sensitive on the inside."

Tsunade laughed with him, agreeing wholeheartedly. Gaara was just like Naruto. He could understand people because he understood the universal unifiers. Pain and loneliness.

And because he could understand those things that people try to hide in their hearts, he was very empathetic. The meant, however, that he could also be very… _passionate_ (i.e. sensitive) at times.

Naruto laughed for a few more seconds before sobering, his face becoming serious and gentle at the same time.

"He told me to tell you 'thanks'." He said, gripping her smaller hand in his tighter. "He's grateful that we could find happiness in one another."

Tsunade shared his serious yet gentle expression. Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage, the youngest Kage… ever.

He really was a special kind of person.

They shared a kiss before they continued on their trip back to where leaves dance in the shadows of fire.

* * *

 **| To Love |**

* * *

 _ **(Warning: It's about to get citrusy.)**_

Tsunade had known Naruto for seven years, give or take a few months. She had watched with her own eyes as a snot-nosed brat matured and bloomed into the man that was currently making love to her so passionately she had to remember to breathe.

Their clothes were discarded the moment they walked into the quaint little Inn, sharing the same room again. The idea of them sleeping in separate rooms was now strange.

Naruto wasn't a forceful person. He didn't try to make others submit to him in any way or form. His attention-seeking personality was the pleasing kind, not the 'look at me I'm bad' kind. Not any more, at least.

But in bed… when the world crumbled apart, leaving only the two of them, Naruto _took charge_.

He was so _eager_ to explore every part of her body, tasting it all with a curious tongue. It was as embarrassing as it was pleasure-inducing.

And Naruto's tongue was no longer that of an amateur. He _tasted_ her every night since her birthday and now knew what made her… _tick_.

Hands strong enough to punch through mountains spread across her body vigorously and gently. He wanted to _feel_ everything he _tasted_. And now, unlike their first trip into the waters of love-making, Uzumaki Naruto took her breath away every time the sun left the sky.

Every night was a night of love, passion, and ecstasy. And this night was no different.

She was atop him, straddling his waist as she _rode_ him, barely capable of continuing. It felt so _good_ that she wanted to lean down and let him take over. But he had been taking over the whole night until he laid down and _looked_ at her expectantly, not saying a word.

It was a silent command. His eyes met hers and he _commanded_ her to get on. And so she did. Her mind and pride was lost in a fog of lust and desire.

In a small part of her mind, she wondered why she thought Naruto giving her orders was so sexy…

And so she did what Naruto all but _ordered_ her to do, enjoying every second of it. But finally, the pleasure became too much and she collapsed onto his chest, too exhausted to continue on her own. She had been going at it for nearly twenty minutes.

"Keep going." He whispered into her ear, his voice thick with desire. She knew from the look in his eyes that he enjoyed the way her breasts bounced up and down from above him.

She groaned/moaned softly, trying to catch her breath.

"I… I can't…" She cried, frustrated at her limits. She had the stamina of a bull (two or three, even!), but even she couldn't keep up with the man beneath her.

"Yes you can." He encouraged through a smirk, slowly moving his hips up, sending small bursts of euphoria into her.

She opened her mouth to protest again, but whatever words she had in mind vanished when she screamed out in so much pleasure and surprise she wondered if the whole Inn had heard her.

Without preamble, the darkness of the room lit up as her idiot encased his body in gilded fire. Tsunade had been near Naruto when he entered what he dubbed 'Kurama Mode,' had felt the nearly unlimited energy of a fragment of divinity.

The amount of life and chakra that coursed through Naruto when that mode was active was awe-inspiring. It touched the hearts and souls of everyone around it, promising to protect and serve them.

It was beauty personified, Tsunade thought, and right now, as this god dressed as a man was still _inside_ her, their chakra close enough to kiss, Tsunade could only scream in unimaginable ecstasy as all that power rushed into her.

Her entire being, her flesh and even her soul, was being touched her Naruto now, sending waves of his life energy and chakra into her. Her skin was surrounded by visible red chakra and if she was able to look back, she would have seen a single tail swaying behind her.

Right now, they were connected in every way one person could connect with another.

She didn't know when Naruto leaned up and pressed his mouth into hers. She was only vaguely aware that she was now screaming into his mouth.

And once she regained some semblance of conscious thought and could think again, she thought she might be able to stop screaming and enjoy… whatever this was.

But then her lovable idiot _thrusted_ deep into her, and she didn't have to worry about her voice anymore because the action felt so good that she couldn't even breathe.

She was actually scared that she might suffocate herself when Naruto ended the kiss and brought his lips close to her ear.

"Breathe, Tsunade." He ordered, his voice so full of power that her body obeyed on its own accord.

She gasped for air, only to lose it all when he thrusted into her again, sending a wave of awe into her soul once more. This time, however, he didn't stop his movements and continued to grind into her with powerful thrusts.

Tsunade fought a losing battle to remember everything she was supposed to do. Inhale. Moan. Exhale. Repeat.

She held on for dear life as she truly rode the maelstrom for the first time, her mind gone to the place of lust and passion. She couldn't think, she could barely even move as Uzumaki Naruto _took_ her, leading her to a place of pleasure she didn't even know existed.

That night was the first time they didn't make love, because what Naruto was doing to her couldn't be considered love-making, but something… _else_.

And she loved every second of it.

* * *

 **| To Love |**

* * *

When she woke the next morning (or late afternoon, since Naruto didn't stop until it was already daylight out), Tsunade was confused when, instead of exhaustion greeting her, a wave of energy did.

Slowly, Tsunade sat up and was even more confused when she wasn't even sore in the slightest. Usually, after a night no passion with her blond idiot, she'd be sore and use medical ninjutsu to ease the pain. Naruto was… an enthusiastic lover.

But today was different. Instead, she felt… light. She woke with more energy today than she usually had in a week.

She blinked, turning to look at her still sleeping idiot. Once Tsunade saw his whiskered face, the memories of what transpired last night hit her like a train, sending shivers down her spine.

Red streaked her cheeks as she thought back to what kind of expressions he might have seen on her face. She must have looked like the idiot, because she had no control over herself as he _touched_ her very soul with his own.

Naruto didn't simply make love to her body, but in fact went even deeper. He held her heart in his own hands last night, ran his chakra like gentle fingers across her own. She could _feel_ his passion, could taste his love for her like it was her own.

It was as intimate as two people could ever possibly be with each other and it made Tsunade both unexplainably happy and uncertain.

Her lover, her Naruto… he was seriously in love with her. He was only nineteen years old and he knew what love meant. He didn't have to use words, his actions were far more telling. He spoke with his heart last night as they entered a state of bliss she doubted anyone else had ever experienced.

And that scared her.

Tsunade loved Naruto, maybe even more than she loved Dan (not that she was going to admit it). He was everything a woman could wish for. Handsome, clever (in his own way), wise when he wanted to be, brave no matter what challenges he faced, and so incredibly powerful he had her wondering sometimes if he was even human anymore. Once you became _that_ powerful, not just in body and technique, but in heart and soul, you had to _more_ than just a man.

This nineteen year old had experienced hardships the likes of which most could never hope to recover from, and yet he still smiled. This nineteen year old had loved and lost, friends and family dying before their time, and yet he didn't hide away his heart.

Uzumaki Naruto wasn't just powerful because he could fight in wars by himself.

Uzumaki Naruto wasn't just powerful because he never let the darkness of this world get a hold of him.

Uzumaki Naruto wasn't just powerful because he refused to let his losses define him.

Uzumaki Naruto was powerful because even though he bore the scars of this world, he still allowed himself to do the most important thing a person could do.

Something he deserved to shout from the rooftops of his home, but couldn't because the woman he loved was such a coward.

To love.

* * *

 **| Fin |**

* * *

 **The (kinda)lemon was important if I ever write a sequel. Also, Tsunade's starting to feel bad for keeping her relationship with Naruto a secret! Those reactions you guys have wanted so badly may or may not be coming in the near future.**

Dreaming of the Moon

 **And another one down. Somewhat short, but no less meaningful in the full view.**

Dreaming of the Phoenix


	7. Her Liquid Courage

**Where would I be without Dreaming of the Phoenix? Hmm…**

 **Decided to change my name. Dreaming of the Moon is now hyvnn.**

* * *

Her Liquid Courage

* * *

Something very… strange was happening, and Tsunade wasn't sure whether to be elated or skeptical.

"Are you feeling okay?" Her blond lover asked from behind her where he rubbed her (usually) aching shoulders.

Tsunade had the unfortunate circumstance of having rather large breasts. And while most men could only see the benefit of being on the large side (benefit for them, since there was no benefit for a woman, at least not biologically), it caused incredible back pain.

Or, at least it usually did.

Currently, however, Tsunade's back and shoulders were fine. More than fine, in fact. She felt great. And not just her shoulders either. It was almost like…

Like she had felt completely energized for an entire week straight, something she didn't experience at her age.

Mid-fifties wasn't exactly ancient, but she had left her youth behind many years ago and wasn't getting any younger, at least internally. With her special transformation technique, her outward appearance would always be that of a beautiful woman in her prime.

But she definitely could feel her age. She felt more lethargic than she used to. It wasn't very noticeable, however, since she came from both the Senju and the Uzumaki.

But ever since that night when… when Naruto…

The thought of it still made her feel phantom sensations from that night…

But ever since then, when her idiot encased himself in pure golden chakra while he was still inside her, she had just felt so... refreshed.

And really, the only thing that made her new, strange situation annoying was the fact that she no longer really needed Naruto to rub her shoulders for her every once in a while, which was one of her favorite things to do…

"Yeah, I'm fine." She assured him, placing her hand over his on her shoulder. "Thank you, I feel a lot better."

He smiled at her, washing away her thoughts of the strange feeling deep within her in a place she couldn't quite pinpoint. Before that smile, all her worries fell away into nothingness.

* * *

 **| Her Liquid Courage |**

* * *

During their trip to Suna, they had stayed at the many Inns that littered the 'highway' to the Land of Wind. It was easier and safer that way, no matter how powerful they were.

But on the trip back to Konoha, Tsunade found that sleeping underneath the stars with her idiot was her favorite.

They shared a sleeping bag, relishing in the closeness it provided. It was intimate in a way they hadn't experienced much yet in their still new relationship.

And with the stars and the moon as their only witnesses, they fell into the land of dreams within each other's arms, bathed in gentle moonlight.

* * *

 **| Her Liquid Courage |**

* * *

Luck had a fluctuating relationship with her and her idiot.

For Tsunade, luck enjoyed to spite her. Whatever she bet on, the opposite would happen. She was awful at gambling for that very reason.

For Naruto… Well, Tsunade, to this day, didn't know how he managed to survive for so long with such chaotic luck. She liked to think it was his force of will and determination to fight the world just to prove that he could. But she wasn't foolish enough to believe that and knew it was probably due to sheer stupidity.

Or, 'Dumb Luck.'

His luck got him out of many difficult situations, if just barely sometimes. What made it so stupid and chaotic was that it was the very same luck that got him out of difficult situations that usually got him into them in the first place.

Wrong place, wrong time. Picking a fight with the wrong person, then proceeding to manage to defeat said wrong person. That kind of thing.

It was that luck, Tsunade thought, which was responsible for their current plight.

Bandits. Seriously, of all things, bandits? Not even enemy shinobi or assassins. God damned bandits decided to ambush them on their return to Konoha, interrupting what was supposed to be a nice 'vacation' alone together.

First Kakashi deployed the Nara cock-block, and then Tsunade actually had to work (that was their whole purpose for being in Suna, after all), and now _bandits_?

Tsunade might actually be pissed if she weren't so utterly exasperated. Why couldn't she and Naruto just be left alone for one goddamn minute?

"I'll make this easy for you, since I'm in such a _gracious_ mood." A large, bulky man who appeared to be the leader, said, stalking around them in what he probably thought was intimidating. Civies thought muscle mass was what made a person strong, when in reality skill and experience was. And big jutsu helped, too. "Cough up all your valuables and I might allow you to pass," he looked at Tsunade with a lecherous grin, " _unharmed_."

Almost like it was straight out of an old, cliché and very crappy movie, the bandits laughed in unison as they appreciated the beautiful woman beside the 'unimpressive kid.'

Poor bastards never had a chance.

The leader stepped closer to her with a smirk on his ugly, grizzled face, his eyes dipping too low for Tsunade's liking. The only man who was allowed to ogle her was the only man who never would when not making love to her. For this scum to do so, made her blood boil.

"Hey sweetheart, let's say we ditch the kid and I can show you what a real man _feels_ like." He licked his lips suggestively, completely ignorant that he spoke with such disrespect to the Lord Fifth Hokage, Tsunade of the Sannin.

Instead of bursting into righteous feminine fury like she usually would, Tsunade did something that actually surprised Naruto, who had been silently waiting for her to teach these idiots a lesson in respect.

She burst into laughter.

Tsunade laughed, hard, as the bandit leader's expression turned into one of confusion. His fellow bandits went silent, confused as well, waiting for their cues from their leader on how to react. Sheep did what they were told.

"'Kid'? 'Real man'?" She managed to say between gut-wrenching laughter. "Are you as stupid as you are ugly, fool?"

"What was that, bitch?" The leader spat, rage washing over his face like a tidal wave.

"I asked if you were really as stupid as you were ugly." She repeated, her laughter gone, replaced by a smirk of her own.

She took a step forward, challenging the man who dared speak to her in such a way, her smirk deepening when she saw him relent and take a step back. Tsunade was a Sannin and the former Hokage of the greatest shinobi village in the world. Her Killing Intent was great enough to make jonin tremble at the sight of her.

"You think you're better than the _man_ before you?" She asked, nodding towards her lover. "You think you could make me _feel_ better than he can?" She chuckled, her tone devoid of humor. "Please. You're a thousand years away from even being _half_ the man Naruto is," she gave him the dirtiest look she could muster before finishing. "Bitch."

And that's all it took. A single name drop. _The_ name drop. The name no one wanted to hear in the same sentence as 'enemy.' The name everyone on the continent knew.

The name of the Hero of the Fourth. The newest _God of Shinobi_.

Uzumaki Naruto.

The looks on their faces were priceless.

"I'll make this easy for you, since I'm in such a _gracious_ mood." Tsunade repeated the bandit leader's words, her vindictive smile growing with every passing second. "Leave my sight before you make an enemy of the Hero of the Fourth." She snorted. "Or worse, the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure."

They were moving even before she finished her sentence, so terrified of the possibility of Naruto being, well, himself.

While the real Naruto was a kind man who cared even for strangers, the reputation and rumor of Naruto was that of, in simple terms, a godslayer. A man who fought against a god and actually won. A man who saved the world from ultimate subjugation.

A man not to be trifled with.

Honestly, it was completely stupid. The idea that her idiot was some scary badass who would kill you and annihilate your entire country of origin for simply looking at him wrong was perhaps the most idiotic, foolish thing she had ever heard.

Even if he could (and Tsunade had no doubts that he could, in fact, do just that) destroy entire armies if need be, he would never kill a person without a very, very good cause. The idiot forgave the man who destroyed his home and killed his only father-figure.

If Naruto was willing to kill a person, really kill them, then that person deserved to die. They didn't deserve to live anymore. That much was certain.

"Tsunade…" Naruto finally spoke, his eyes watching the fleeing bandits with unknown emotion.

"Hmm?"

"You're badass."

She smiled even as he smashed his lips into hers with hungry passion. His woman was _hot_ , in more ways than one.

* * *

 **| Her Liquid Courage |**

* * *

When they returned to the village, they were both slightly disappointed.

Being able to touch and feel one another whenever they wanted without worrying anyone would notice was amazing. Something as simple as holding hands while walking out in the open was so intense, so gratifying.

Tsunade was a grown woman, but holding hands with Naruto made her warm inside. Just being around Naruto made her feel warm, safe. It was an amazing feeling.

But she was a coward. She was worried about what people might think of her, of Naruto, if they discovered their relationship. The thought brought dread to her stomach that she hadn't felt in years.

She hated it.

Naruto deserved so much more than a coward. He was such an amazing man who treated her like a queen and made love to not only her body, but to her soul.

He had _tasted_ her soul, her chakra, and she his. They had connected in a way no two human beings had ever been before. They had become one, truly and absolutely, and she _still_ couldn't give him what he deserved, what he earned a hundred times over.

A woman brave enough to stand beside him in the light, where everyone could see. Instead, she lurked in the shadows, cowering away from the truth.

That she, Senju Tsunade, was in love with Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

 **| Her Liquid Courage |**

* * *

She needed help. Desperately.

She needed to talk to someone about Naruto and how she was now his lover. She needed advice. Should she come out with it? Should they just keep it a secret? Was she a terrible person for loving someone so much younger than her?

She needed help, and there was really only one person in the whole world she could talk to. One person she trusted with all her secrets. One person she was brave enough to discuss her… love life… with.

"What I'm about to tell you is extremely sensitive and you cannot tell another soul." Tsunade explained, seriously. "I mean it."

Shizune nodded, now nervous about the super-secret topic her master all but dragged her to said master's apartment to discuss.

"Of course. I swear." She said in a hushed tone, wondering what it was. If it got her master this anxious, it had to be something huge.

Tsunade was pacing back and forth in front of the sitting woman, rubbing her hands together nervously as she tried to think of a way to say this… tactfully.

"I'msleepingwiththeidiot!" She suddenly blurted, freezing in one spot, staring at the woman she had taught many years ago.

Shizune blinked in confusion at her old master, looking at her strangely. "Pardon?" She asked.

Tsunade sighed and swallowed, her palms annoyingly sweaty. Why was she so nervous, damn it!? She had discussed things far more embarrassing with this woman in the past!

"I'm… I'm seeing…" she froze. "… Someone…"

Shizune's eyes widened, surprise replacing the earlier confusion.

"You're… you're seeing someone?" She asked cautiously. Tsunade nodded slowly. "As in… you're romantically involved with a _man_?" She asked carefully, receiving another nod.

A thousand thoughts raced through the black-haired woman's mind, filling the apartment with nothing but silence. And then…

"Oh my god! Are you serious!? That's so wonderful, Tsunade-sama! I can't believe it! I thought you'd never find anyone after… It doesn't matter! I'm so happy! Who is it? When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me sooner!?"

Tsunade was overwhelmed by the assault of questions, though Shizune's reaction definitely made her feel a little better.

"Calm down, Shizune. You're talking too fast for me to answer." Tsunade said, finally taking a seat across from the younger woman.

"I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama. I'm just a bit shocked. I never thought you'd give love another try." Shizune apologized.

Tsunade sighed. "Neither did I. It sort of just… happened." She couldn't really explain how or why she and Naruto fell in love. There had just been a certain… feeling at some point. When, she couldn't really remember. Just that it happened.

"Who is it? What's he like? Do I know him?" Shizune asked happily. Tsunade's smile faded, confusing the black-haired kunoichi. "What is it, Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade was quiet for a few minutes before she finally replied.

"I'm such a coward, Shizune…" She whispered, her voice sounding so defeated.

Shizune frowned. "You are not, Tsunade-sama! You're the bravest woman I have ever known!"

Tsunade smiled sadly, shaking her head.

"No I'm not." She said. "A brave woman doesn't make the man she loves hide their relationship from his friends…"

Shizune narrowed her eyes in confusion but stayed silent. She could tell that her master needed to let this off her chest.

"He's… He's a lot younger than me." Tsunade continued in a soft tone. "The age gap is so extreme that I'm afraid what people will think about us… about _me_ … if they find out." Saying it out loud sounded so much worse, and it felt just as bad too.

"He's done so much, for both the village and me personally, and I can't even give him what he deserves." Her head hung low, ashamed of herself.

"Lady Tsunade…" Shizune tired. When she noticed that her master wasn't going to continue without… help, she stood and left the room, confusing Tsunade until she returned with a bottle of sake and two glasses.

Pouring two cups, Shizune handed one to her master.

"Here." She smiled when Tsunade took the offered glass and downed the dark liquid within. Tsunade handed her the cup and Shizune filled it once more. After two more refills, Tsunade had the courage to discuss her love life with her best friend.

"I shouldn't be so afraid of what other people think…" Tsunade started slowly, the liquid courage kicking in. "I don't really know why I do. It's just… every time I think about people finding out, I feel like I can't breathe…"

Shizune just listened.

"I'm too old and have been through too much to let this get to me so much… I feel like an idiot that I do… But I just can't help it."

Shizune filled her master's cup again and waited for the older woman to swallow the dark liquid.

"I couldn't keep it to myself anymore. I needed to talk to someone about it. I… I need your help, Shizune. I need… advice."

Shizune only took a few seconds to process the strange situation she was in before responding. She had never thought she'd need to give her master, _the_ Tsunade, _relationship advice_ …

"Do you love him?" She asked the most important question.

A heartbeat.

"Yes."

"Do you want to be with him?" The second most important.

Tsunade shivered.

"Yes."

Shizune smiled. "Then there's your answer, Lady Tsunade. If you really love this person, you won't let doubt keep you apart."

"But…" Tsunade tried.

"But nothing." Shizune interrupted. "There's nothing for you to doubt." She stood and crossed the small distance between them, kneeling down and placing a hand on her master's knee.

"I've seen you stare down S-ranked shinobi like it was nothing. You are not a weak or cowardly woman." She smirked. "After all, a coward would have run for the hills if they were faced with someone as absurdly powerful as Uchiha Madara. But you didn't. You stood your ground and you fought for the thing you love."

Tsunade smiled, despite the anxiety she felt.

"That's why I know you'll do so again." She chuckled. "Just like Naruto would. You two are a lot…" She blinked.

Tsunade saw the admiration in Shizune's face fall, morphing painfully slow into realization, and then into shock.

Shizune choked.

They were gonna need a whole lot more alcohol.

Her liquid courage.

* * *

 **| Fin |**

* * *

 **Super late update. I know. And I'm sorry. I've recently moved again and I have no access to the internet in my apartment. That's no excuse, I know.**

 **I've just been super busy these last few months and haven't had any time to sit down and think, never mind write. But I've been wanting to write super bad lately and so I forced myself to stay up late and pump something out. For you guys.**

 **I love this story. It's probably my favorite of anything I've written. It's so clean and fresh and easy to write (when I have time). I've been thinking about leaving Naruto and entering a new fandom. Not sure which, but something current. Even if that happens though, I'll continue to work on this one. I love it.**

 **Also, my uncle and I have started up an art studio. I can't draw worth a damn but he's seriously good, like an actual pro. And he's picked me up as a writer for his future comic. I also manage his social media, so if you like art and just cool stuff, check us out on Facebook (Candy Punk) and Instagram (CandyPunkStudios). That would be totally awesome!**

Dreaming of the Moon

 **You wanna know where you'd be without me, Moon?... Interesting question. I think you'd still be where you are, just not quite as fabulous on the spelling and grammar lol.**

Dreaming of the Phoenix


	8. Just Another Lie

**Sorry for such a long wait.**

* * *

Just Another Lie

* * *

Tsunade felt the dread in her stomach turn into a chunk of ice the instant realization dawned on Shizune's face.

All the insecurities and self-doubt came raining down on her head like a ton of bricks, physically holding her in place.

Her fight-or-flight instincts kicked in and all she wanted to do was run away, but she couldn't. She was numb and cold and couldn't even breathe.

She waited like this for many seconds, and then minutes, until she thought she was going to burst into a thousand pieces.

That's when Shizune finally spoke.

"It's Naruto, isn't it?" Her voice was so devoid of emotion that Tsunade seriously thought about denying the question and moving on to another topic, never to bring her love life up ever again.

But then she remembered Naruto's smile. The smile that washed away all of her worries. The smile that made her warm and cool at the same time. The smile that made her heart flutter.

She remembered how he never gave up on the things and people he loved. How he never went back on his word.

… How he loved her.

… How she loved him.

Denying that love wasn't something she was willing to do. Not now, after everything. Not ever.

She felt strength and confidence she almost forgot she possessed return to her, and it almost made her cry. Naruto was still helping her, even now.

She straightened her back, lifted her chin, and stared her previous student square in the eye.

"Yes." She said. And almost immediately she felt relief. Like a huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders. It was freeing.

Shizune didn't speak for many moments, simply staring at her master with an unbetraying expression. Tsunade knew that Shizune was really thinking about this revelation. Her next words wouldn't be in the heat of the moment. They'd be her true feelings on the matter.

"Tsunade-sama." Shizune started.

Tsunade braced herself.

"I have always looked up to you as a role model. As the ideal kunoichi and woman. I've always wanted to be just like you; powerful and beautiful in equal measure."

The confidence Tsunade mustered up was slowly ebbing away, nervousness creeping into her heart with every passing second.

"You took me in when my uncle died, and raised me like I was your own daughter. We both shared the same pain when he died, and because of that, we developed a bond."

Tsunade wondered if she really should have confessed to Shizune. Dan was her uncle and one of the most important people in both of their lives.

"You taught me how to be the kunoichi I am today. I wouldn't be the woman I am right now without you."

Tsunade's heart was pounding. It felt like it was going to hop out of her chest. Just before it did, however, Shizune smiled.

"Who you love, no matter how strange it may seem to the world, would never change how I feel about you. You're still the powerful, beautiful kunoichi that I've always admired."

Tsunade blinked. Did the room just flip upside down? Because it sure felt like it.

"Naruto has become a fine man and is no longer a child. The age difference means nothing now."

Again, Tsunade just blinked.

"You shouldn't feel ashamed or frightened about it, either. You deserve happiness." Shizune smiled softly. "You both do. Many times over."

She heard the words, but couldn't make sense of them, not really.

"I…" She tried, her mouth suddenly dry. She couldn't find her voice.

Shizune smiled at her and stood. She left the room once more and when she returned, she had more alcohol.

Thank god... This was going to be a _long_ night if she couldn't even speak.

"-nk you…" Tsunade whispered, so softly she wondered if anyone could have heard it, herself included.

"Hmm?" Shizune asked, turning to face her master. That's when she noticed Tsunade's tears. "Master?" She asked, worried.

With great struggle, Tsunade lifted her head and looked right at the woman before her through wet, bronze eyes.

"Thank you…" She said again, more emotion in her voice than she ever remembered having before in her entire life.

They didn't sleep at all that night. Instead, they talked for what seemed like forever. And the entire night, Tsunade couldn't help but smile.

* * *

 **| Just Another Lie |**

* * *

Tsunade had felt it quite a few times.

Not so much with her perverted teammate. Jiraiya hadn't mastered it like Naruto had. It had been there, she thought, but so distant that she hadn't really seen it.

But Naruto was an entirely different beast. He had taken his master's teachings and took them a step forward, then another, and another still.

Sage Mode. The ability to perceive and wield natural energy. The key component of what made a sage, a sage.

It was this ability that currently fascinated Tsunade. Not because she wanted to be a sage, but because she had… felt something… strange.

Naruto had mastered senjutsu training faster than anyone she had ever known of. It had taken her grandfather years, and Jiraiya even longer.

But Naruto was naturally, and strangely, gifted. He couldn't master – or even use – basic academy techniques, but he was capable of learning and even perfecting S-ranks that could flatten villages. Weirdo.

A lot of people didn't know this about her, but Tsunade was a decent sensor. It wasn't her specialty by any means, but Sarutobi-sensei had taught all of them the basics. That being said, she noticed something that piqued her interest.

She needed to examine him while in sage mode more thoroughly. But if she was right…

She felt hope swell up in her heart.

* * *

 **| Just Another Lie |**

* * *

"Can we… Can we talk?" Tsunade asked, reaching out and grabbing hold of her lover's hand.

They were sitting at her kitchen table, eating breakfast. He had stayed with her again, what was now a long string of sleep overs. She thought it would be impossible for her to sleep without him now.

"Yeah, sure." He said, his expression turning worried. He could probably feel her nervousness.

"I…" She took a deep breath. "I told Shizune." She cleared her throat. "About us."

Naruto's eyebrows shot up, but there wasn't any anger there.

"Oh…"

She squeezed his hand tighter.

"I know I asked you to keep it a secret for now, but…" She wanted to tell him the truth. She wanted to tell him how much it was killing her to make him keep their relationship a secret. How much she hated herself for it. But she couldn't. "But she's the closest thing to family I have. I couldn't keep it from her any longer…"

A million possible outcomes rushed through her mind, each one ending with him being upset. He had told Gaara about their relationship, but that was different, and she knew it.

First of all, he had asked her first. He made sure she was okay with telling someone else. She hadn't. And Gaara was so far away. He didn't live in the village.

She was worried that her not asking permission after making such a big deal about not telling anyone would make him angry. Upset at the very least.

But this was Naruto, and he was never predictable.

"Good." He said, smiling at her with that damn smile that made her feel like nothing in the world could hurt her.

"Huh?" She managed. She couldn't say anything else.

"I'm glad you told someone." He said. "I was starting to worry that you wouldn't tell _anyone_." He chuckled, the sound like music to her ears. "So yeah, I'm glad."

She sat there for a few moments, bronze eyes clashing against azure ones.

"I love you." That's all she could think to say.

It's all she needed to say.

"I know." Cheeky idiot.

* * *

 **| Just Another Lie |**

* * *

She sat there, as comfortable as she could be on the ground, and just watched.

His chest rose and fell, his breathing a rhythm that just seemed so… _right_. Like he wasn't simply breathing, but doing much more. Maybe he was.

She examined his closed eyes carefully, watching the orange pigment creep across his closed eyelids with a peacefulness she couldn't quite understand.

His breathing deepened, and she could _feel_ him from where she sat, observing his transformation with great interest. His presence… it seemed like it was all around her. On the breeze, in the trees, reaching out through the grass beneath her.

She could feel him feel her, no matter how strange and confusing that was. His eyes were closed, but she knew he could _see_.

His bare chest kept the peaceful rhythm, rising and falling, almost in sync with the air blowing through the village.

His chakra had always been rather large, even for Uzumaki standards, and always so very warm and bright. But right now, it felt… different. _More_.

He wasn't simply using the energy around him. He wasn't simply forcing it into his body. Sage Mode was something else entirely. She knew it had been, but this… this was more than anything she could have ever expected.

He wasn't just wielding an unknown energy.

He was wielding the planet.

And it was beautiful.

* * *

 **| Just Another Lie |**

* * *

It was late. The lights in her room were off, and the moon was hidden behind several puffy clouds. It should have been complete darkness.

But he was there with her, _inside her_ , bathing the room in golden fire. Two souls connected as one.

She could hear his voice in her head, like he was singing directly into her mind. She decided that his voice was her favorite sound.

They swayed back and forth, like dancing palm trees. They were like poetry, painting soft stories with their lips, each one confessing their love in a new way.

He was like a wave, washing over her, pulling her underneath, sinking. She decided she wanted to stay there, forever drifting slowly.

The way he held her, touching her in all the right places. Like he was a king, and she was his queen. Like she was his everything.

Again, like a wave washing over her, his soul pulling hers underneath even deeper, she couldn't help but sink. She could stay like this forever, drifting slowly in the sea that was her lover's touch.

So bright and warm. So important. So beautiful.

Like she was the sky, and he was the sun. Like they fit perfectly together.

They belonged together. Connected as they were, they could feel each other's emotions. They could feel everything about one another. Their love. Their fears. Their regrets. Everything.

It was so incredibly intimate that most people wouldn't be able to handle it. Every deep, dark secret was laid bare. Their hearts were completely open.

It would scare off a lesser woman, but Tsunade couldn't get enough. As he thrusted into her, enjoying her body, he returned all the pleasure he took from her back, a continuous loop of ecstasy.

She could feel his desire for her. He enjoyed her body. Loved it, even. It made her happy. But then she felt ashamed.

Just another lie…

* * *

 **| Just Another Lie |**

* * *

She placed her lips against his right shoulder, smiling softly.

"Sakura did a good job on this." Tsunade said, placing a second kiss a little further down. "I couldn't have done it better myself." A third kiss, once again slightly further down.

They were just lying on the bed, being a little lazy before the sun fully rose. Her window was open and there was a cooling breeze fluttering into the room. It was perfect.

"Yeah." Naruto mumbled, his eyes still closed. She knew he enjoyed these moments just as much as she did. When they could just be close like this, and not worry about anything else in the whole world. "She learned from the best." He smiled.

She chuckled softly, pressing another kiss on this arm, next to his elbow.

"Flatterer." She accused.

"Is it working?" He asked cheekily, opening a single eye to peer down at her.

Her smile was way too playful for the time of day.

"You have no idea." She purred before pouncing.

Tsunade had never been more of a morning person than she was after her and Naruto became lovers.

* * *

 **| Just Another Lie |**

* * *

Tsunade felt both extremely happy and horribly awkward.

She was in her apartment, sitting on her couch, a small cup of sake in her hand. That wasn't very unusual, however. Ordinary, actually.

To her left, sitting on the couch next to her, was her blond lover, Uzumaki Naruto. He was sipping on some tea, trying to act like he wasn't feeling just as awkward as she did herself.

The reason for their awkwardness? Their guest.

"So, Naruto-kun. How are… things?" Shizune asked, nervously petting Tonton, their pet pig.

Tsunade nearly choked on her drink. "How are things"!? What kind of crap was that!?

Naruto gave a lopsided smile, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Uh… Things are good."

Tsunade couldn't decide which was more painful – the idiot's reply, or his awkward chuckle at the end of it.

"Good. Good." Shizune responded, and Tsunade nearly slapped her forehead in exasperation.

"Okay, I can't take this anymore…" She said, sitting her drink down and looking at the two idiot's that were in her home.

"Naruto and I are in a relationship together." Tsunade stated unashamed. "And Shizune knows about it. There's no reason to be weird about it."

She wasn't sure which was more painful – her stupid words, or the expressions on Naruto's and Shizune's faces. She sank in her couch, wishing that she could disappear right at that moment.

Then, Naruto and Shizune burst into laughter. They were… laughing… at her…

The bastards!

Then, despite herself, Tsunade laughed too.

After that, the rest of the day was filled with conversation and laughter, never repeating the awkward silence again.

* * *

 **| Just Another Lie |**

* * *

Slurp. Chew. Swallow. Repeat.

Tsunade shook her head in exasperation as, once again, Naruto ate a cup of instant ramen for _breakfast_ , of all things.

"You really love ramen, huh?" She asked, despite knowing the answer already. Everyone who knew the blond knew about his obsession of the noodle-y persuasion.

"Of course!" Naruto shouted over a mouthful of noodle and broth. "It's the best food there is!"

Tsunade shook her head again, chuckling despite herself.

She herself enjoyed ramen, but not as often as Naruto. It wasn't her most favorite food, either. But her lover enjoyed it so much that she couldn't put up much of an argument of why he shouldn't eat it like it was going out of style.

Resigning herself to a life of constant ramen, Tsunade rose from her seat in her kitchen, where they were enjoying breakfast together, once again, and strode over to Naruto.

With a dignified plop, she made herself comfortable in his lap, only slightly surprising the idiot.

Then, with skills only a Sannin could boast, she snatched the spoon from the Uzumaki's hand, managing not to spill a single drop of broth.

She didn't see his look of outrage and utter betrayal. And he didn't see the cheeky smirk on her face.

Slurp. Chew. Swallow.

* * *

 **| Just Another Lie |**

* * *

On the day before their departure to Kirigakure, where Tsunade would revamp and improve the medical program of the Hidden Mist in a show of unity created by the Shinobi Alliance, Tsunade found herself preparing for the trip at the Konoha Shinobi Hospital.

"So Naruto's going with you again?" Haruno Sakura asked with only slight interest, busy writing down her report for a young shinobi she had just finished a session with.

Sakura and Ino, after the war, had decided to open a branch in the clinic to help the young shinobi who had served in the Fourth War with any psychological trauma they might have received.

Tsunade hummed in response, trying her best to seem uninterested in the fact that Naruto was escorting her to Kiri. It did seem to be a bit much.

Uzumaki Naruto was the Hero of the Fourth, arguably the most powerful man on the planet at the moment, challenged by only Uchiha Sasuke, and he was, essentially, being reduced to escort duty. It did seem like a waste of his time, but not entirely.

Tsunade was a retired Hokage and the last member of the prominent Senju clan, so the argument that she was high enough profile for someone like _the_ Orange Hero could be made. Also, her work in the medical arts pertaining on and off the battlefield were still extremely valuable. Countless lives would be saved by her research, and even more so by Sakura's further in the future.

Tsunade knew that it was only a matter of time before Sakura surpassed her in both medical breakthroughs and pure combat skills, but that was point of taking her on as an apprentice. She was perfectly happy with stepping back and letting the next generation take over.

Yamanaka Ino was also making strides in her specific lane of research. There was no one more qualified to advance the knowledge of the human mind and how to heal it after it was damaged or scarred.

"Didn't he escort you to Suna?" Ino asked, biting her pen out of habit, skimming through a thick volume devoted entirely on the parts of the brain that managed emotional output. "How was that?"

Tsunade was putting the finishing touches on her schedule. Time management was necessary on such short trips. She could really lose herself in her work.

"It was fine." Tsunade answered, only half truthfully. It hadn't been fine, it was _great_.

"Is it just me, or did Naruto get, like, handsome lately?" Ino asked, looking at Sakura from across the small records room the three were occupying at the moment.

Tsunade held back the near automatic need to flinch.

Sakura chuckled. "It's not just you. I've heard a lot of girls say the same thing recently. It seems he's Konoha's most eligible bachelor."

Ino and Sakura were too busy laughing at the strangeness of Naruto's transformation from village idiot to village hero to notice Tsunade's sudden inner struggle.

It was true that Naruto was receiving more and more attention of the female kind, especially recently. That didn't really bother Tsunade too much, though. She wasn't a jealous woman to begin with, and she trusted Naruto more than mostly anyone else in the whole world.

What made her feel a bit guilty was the situation she was putting Naruto in.

Not coming out to the public about their relationship was difficult for Naruto, in more ways than one. The most obvious one being the situation with his friends. No one really understood why he hadn't started dating someone yet, knowing just how many suitors there were.

And then there was the fact that all these young girls genuinely believed they had a shot with him. He couldn't just shut them down, being far too nice and/or oblivious. Just another lie, one she was forcing on the person she loved.

Just another lie.

* * *

 **| Fin |**

* * *

 **I feel like adding a bit of action into this story. I'll be incorporating some from now on, but it'll stay mostly about the Naruto x Tsunade fluff.**

 **Special thanks to Dreaming of the Phoenix for all the help.**

 _hyvnn._


	9. Her Personal Sun

**I wish there were more Naruto x Tsunade stories out there. It's tough making all this crap up as I go. Lol.**

* * *

Her Personal Sun

* * *

"This is so cool!"

Tsunade didn't think so.

"Our first real mission together, boss!" Sarutobi Konohamaru shouted excitedly.

Tsunade mumbled something under her breath about damned offspring of old monkey bastards.

"Yeah…" Her idiot sounded conflicted. As he should be!

On one hand, he was able to spend some time with someone he viewed as a little brother and pupil. On the other, the little brat was cutting into their alone time!

Why that smut reading, poor excuse of a Hokage assigned a brat to her protection detail last minute was beyond her. Really, what couldn't two S-ranked ninja handle on their own?

It was infuriating.

"Don't worry, Lady Tsunade! I'll guard you with my life!"

The brat's enthusiasm pissed her off.

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

After the first day, Tsunade got over her irritation at the less than satisfactory situation she found herself in with regards to Konohamaru crashing her trip, and found herself enjoying his company.

Naruto seemed different with him around, even more mature than she thought he was.

Sure, he joked around and acted a bit childish in Konohamaru's presence, but there was a subtle undertone of maturity to it. Like an older brother messing around with his younger sibling.

And they didn't just goof around, either. She watched Naruto train with the boy for at least an hour and a half the night before. It was oddly heartening.

Like… like peeking into a window that showed the future, or a possible one. One where… where Naruto passed down his knowledge to his own son, his own child.

The thought did strange things to her stomach.

Whether those strange things were positive or negative, she wasn't really sure.

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

The soft click of her door closing was all the warning she received. It didn't matter that someone had snuck into her room, though. She knew exactly who this person was.

Strong arms wrapped around her after pulling the blankets back to allow entry. A warm body settled behind her, a warm chest pressed into her back.

"About time," she said, wiggling a bit into the body behind her, trying to find the most comfortable spot.

"Sorry," Naruto's voice whispered into her ear, his warm breath sending small shivers down her back. "Konohamaru was too excited to sleep."

Tsunade snorted. "Figures. That kid's way too much like you were back then." The thought brought a small smile to her face.

Naruto was Naruto, no matter how old he got.

She felt him chuckle breathily, tightening his grip around her slightly, much to her delight.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Tsunade nodded her head minutely. "Of course I am."

His breathy chuckle felt nice against her skin.

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

The journey to the Land of Water wasn't too terribly long. Most of it entailed walking east through the Land of Fire (from Konoha, at least). After that, the trip consisted almost entirely of boat rides.

The Land of Water was a string of islands, centering on its Hidden Village, Kirigakure. To get to Kirigakure, you had to travel to a total of three islands, both for security and necessity.

Tsunade didn't mind the voyage, though. It was one of her favorites, actually. She had travelled many places in her youth, and the trip to the Land of Water was always a beautiful one.

And having her blond lover along for the ride this time was a much appreciated bonus. Konohamaru, on the other hand, not so much.

"When will it ever end!?" the young chunin cried, annoyed. "We've been on this damn boat for two days!"

"Relax," Naruto snickered, having experienced water transportation with someone who had sea sickness before. "We're almost there, the captain just announced it over your vomiting."

Tsunade could tell that her lover was trying his best not to laugh. It would be rude for a master to laugh at his pupil's weakness.

She, on the other hand, had no reason not to.

"It's not funny! Ugh!" Konohamaru shouted, trying to sound indignant, but failing masterfully. He only sounded sick, which made Tsunade laugh again.

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

"Land!" Konohamaru cried, jumping out of the boat with haste. He landed on the cobblestone walkways of Kirigakure no Sato.

Tsunade could appreciate the architecture all day. Stone, cobblestone, and earthy beach colors covered the village from top to bottom. It really felt like a beachside town. It was beautiful.

The faint mist that hung in the air just made it feel even more authentic.

"It's nice here," Naruto said while stretching. "I've never been to this village before."

"It's a beautiful place," Tsunade smiled, glad to hear his general approval.

"I'm glad you two think so," a friendly male voice said to their left.

Turning, Tsunade noticed the voice belonged to a familiar, blue-haired, bespectacled young man.

"Lady Tsunade. Lord Naruto," Chojuro, the Lady Mizukage's personal bodyguard, and one of the only living, official Seven Swordsmen, greeted. "It's a pleasure to greet you on behalf of Lady Mei."

Naruto snorted, a playful smirk forming on his face.

"Yes, yes," the blond idiot said in a mock aristocratic voice, placing his finger under his nose like a mustache. "Take us to your leader, peasant."

Konohamaru bellowed in laughter and even Tsunade chuckled under her breath.

"Come on, Chojuro, what's up with all that formality crap?" Naruto asked, walking over to the blue-haired swordsman and clapping his hand on the man's shoulder.

Chojuro blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Heh, heh. Sorry about that," he mumbled. "You're the first VIP's to step foot in the village in a long time. The elders wanted you to receive a formal greeting."

Tsunade nodded wisely, understanding completely. Had the situation been reversed, she would have done the same in their situation.

"Yeah, well, forget about that," Naruto said, trampling all over tradition and formalities that usually accompanied diplomatic missions. "Now, a serious matter." He leaned in close to Chojuro, his face set in stone. "What's the ramen like here?"

Tsunade sighed. Idiot.

"Uh… It's pretty good?" Chojuro said, unsure how to answer. "Anyway," he began, changing the topic, "I'm supposed to show you to where you'll be staying, but the Lady Mizukage would like to see you first, if that's fine with you?"

Tsunade nodded. "That's fine."

"Great. Right this way." Chojuro gave a brief salute, and began leading the way.

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

Tsunade couldn't help her irritation.

The Lady Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei, was no doubt a beautiful woman, and despite her inclinations, was rather young. Her dual bloodline limit and status as military leader made her a very prominent figure, not to mention her dedication and victory in the prior civil war of her home country.

In truth, even Tsunade could see the appeal of a woman like Terumi, but that didn't mean she would just let the woman ogle _her_ idiot.

"Welcome to Kirigakure. We look forward to learning from you, Princess Tsunade," Mei said, tone formal.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Of course. Thank you for having us."

Tsunade could see it in the auburn-haired woman's eyes. She knew that Mei understood who Naruto was—who he _really_ was.

The reputation of Naruto was a rather shallow one.

A savior. A hero. A man who was unchallenged and unassailable.

And while those things were certainly true for the most part (he did save the world from an eternal dream, he did become a hero of the people after Pain, and no one but the likes of Uchiha Sasuke could ever hope to challenge him), he was _so much more_.

Naruto was more than a shinobi, more than a hero. He was an idea given form. He was the Will of Fire made manifest. A beacon of hope for all those who wished for peace.

He was the answer. No matter how cheesy or corny it sounded, Tsunade truly believed it. Naruto was the key to peace, of true understanding.

The mere thought of what he would accomplish in his life brought a warmth to her heart that she couldn't quite explain. It was a known fact that men like Uzumaki Naruto were born few and far between.

Men like Uzumaki Naruto changed the world, shaped it with their own two hands. And Naruto, in only nineteen years, had already started that change. A lesser man would have faulted by then, would have tripped up. Normal men couldn't follow their philosophy all the time.

But not her Naruto. Her Naruto was a man of his word first and foremost. He was a man who never gave up. Whether that was because he was made of sturdier stuff than most men, or just an idiot, didn't matter.

Uzumaki Naruto was perfect just the way he was, in Tsunade's most humble opinion.

"Lady Tsunade?" Konohamaru's asking voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Hmm?" She looked from the young chunin to the sitting Mizukage. "Sorry, I didn't hear that last bit. Could you repeat it?"

The Mizukage nodded. "I was asking if you had your itinerary ready yet or not."

Tsunade nodded, a bit embarrassed. "Oh, yes. I do," she said, searching for her notes in the bag strapped around her shoulder.

When she passed it to the auburn-haired woman, Tsunade caught yet _another_ chaste look at Naruto. It would seem that the Mizukage was, at the very least, aware of the man Naruto had become.

 _Her man._

"Everything looks great." Mei nodded at the notes. "Once again, on behalf of both my village, and the Shinobi Alliance Exchange Program, thank you."

Tsunade nodded, giving a small, genuine smile. Regardless of Mei's 'harmless' examinations, she was still a kunoichi Tsunade respected.

They had fought together, side by side, against the seemingly infallible (to the Five Kage, at least) Uchiha Madara. They had bled and nearly died together. And most importantly, they had helped kick-start what would hopefully be a long-lasting alliance between all shinobi. It was hard to dislike someone like that.

But that didn't mean she had to like it.

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

When he was bathed in gold and orange light, his fingertips felt like so many stars, warm and bright, and they would shine only for her.

His fingers, filled with more power than most men could even dream of holding, ghosted up and down her body, sending shivers through her soul. He was the stars, and her body was the sky.

His lips were like the sun, bringing her new light with every gentle kiss.

He started with her own lips, sending warmth through her mouth as his tongue slid across hers.

When he pulled away, she frowned, already missing the _heat_ it sent through her, but not for long. His lips continued downward, coasting down her body slowly, softly, deliberately.

He took his time, as if mapping out every piece of flesh he placed a kiss upon, as if savoring his favorite meal. She couldn't help the horribly absurd thought from passing through her mind: did he love tasting her more than even his precious ramen?

The small laugh that the question brought her was quickly drowned out by a cry of great pleasure from her throat. He had made it to his destination, it would seem.

She looked down at the bright light between her legs, and couldn't help the desire, the _need,_ to run her fingers through his hair and _hold on tight_.

It felt like his tongue could read, and the sweet spot between her legs was his favorite book. His tongue read every word of that book carefully, diligently. He didn't want to miss a single letter.

Her hands holding onto locks of golden fire, she rode the maelstrom until her whole body was filled with pleasure, and release came.

 _Hard._

Panting, with sweat glistening over her body, his next words nearly made her whimper.

"We're just getting started."

He licked his lips when he spoke. That drove her crazy, more so than she would ever admit.

She felt him push into her, filling her up inside _just the way she liked_. Tsunade closed her eyes, sighing in content. She wanted this. She wanted this _all the time_.

She wanted Naruto more than anything else in this world.

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

Inhale.

"Hey, Konohamaru."

Exhale.

"Yeah, boss?"

Inhale.

"Are you staying perfectly still?"

Exhale.

"I'm trying, boss!"

Inhale.

"Try harder."

Exhale.

A beat.

"You're doing it wrong."

"Screw this!" Konohamaru jumped up from where he was sitting, groaning. "I don't know what kind of 'super-duper ultimate training' this is, but I hate it! What's staying perfectly still have to do with anything!?"

"You just gotta trust me and be patient, Konohamaru," Naruto said, peering up at his "student". "I trained this way, too. You can learn an even more awesome technique than the Rasengan."

Konohamaru looked skeptical. "Are you sure?"

"Would I lie to you?" Naruto gave his best, biggest smile.

"Hmm…" Konohamaru hummed, unsure.

"What kind of response was that!?"

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

The first day they spent in Kiri was spent mostly touring the village and its many beauties. Tsunade, Naruto, and (insert sigh here) Konohamaru visited many sites in the village, most being local sweet shops and, of course, a bar.

Tsunade, even with Konohamaru tagging along, had fun. She was with her lover, and even though they weren't alone, it was still fun nonetheless.

On the second day, Tsunade was introduced to the class she was to lecture. Her plans were set.

She would introduce to them the basic Medical Ninja Rules, after which she would begin to teach them her best and most clever techniques, techniques that could—and already had—saved many lives.

When introduced, she saw the many awe-inspired expressions that were a common occurrence with these sorts of things. Without trying to toot her own horn, she was kind of a big deal in the medical field.

She saw all the aspiring medical-nin, all hopeful to learn all they could from the woman who literally wrote the rule book for medical ninja and medical ninjutsu.

And for a moment, she smiled the same smile that Naruto brought to her face with every gentle kiss. This was where she belonged. Teaching what she knew to the next generation.

This feeling was one of the reasons she loved teaching Sakura. It just felt… right.

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

He entered the Inn easily enough. They had paid off one of the attendants weeks ago. The preparation for this mission had been painstakingly complicated. Knowing the time and place to best strike was forty percent guess work. And getting around the security put in place by the Pretender (that's what they called her) was no walk in the park.

Luckily, a sympathizer for the cause happened to work at the hotel the target was staying in. Without that happy coincidence they'd never have been able to take this fortunate chance.

It was risky, but everything that mattered was. All three would be impossible. His skills were legendary in certain circles, but he wasn't _that_ good. No one was. Doing just the old bitch was almost too dangerous. But he could pull it off if he was careful.

With deliberate steps, not even whispers in the silent night, he crept, making his way to the target. A single life of a foreign diplomat could be the spark they needed. A single event to set in motion a series of events that would see the Pretender cast aside.

He would take the life of Senju Tsunade, the Lady Fifth Hokage, a member of the Sannin, and with that life, he'd start another civil war—one that would strike down the usurper Terumi Mei.

And maybe it would have worked. Maybe he would have successfully entered her room without her being aware. Maybe he would have stalked across the dark room and plunged his blade (coated in poison, obviously) deep within her chest. Maybe he would have pierced her heart, ending her life before she even knew what was happening. He was a skilled assassin—some would say he was the best. He'd murdered many S-rank ninja in his time, people who were considered to be gods compared to the common folk.

Maybe. If everything had gone as planned, then _maybe_.

In reality, however, nothing ever went according to plan.

He got as far as opening the door. It didn't creak or make any other sound at all. His heart wanted to beat out of his chest.

He peered into the darkness of the room, trying to assess the situation. What he saw would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Looking back at him from within the darkness were deep crimson, slit eyes. They clashed against his emerald orbs. He didn't move. He didn't even breathe. And then, after what seemed like a lifetime but what was probably closer to a few seconds, _something else happened._

The walls, the eyes, even his own body vanished, sucked into a deep, silencing void. Suddenly, his body returned and the darkness receded. And right before him, a nine-tailed fox larger than any building in the village stood, baring its teeth, a feral growl bubbling up out of his throat.

The feeling of overwhelming evil and hatred devoured him, washing over him like a tidal wave, suffocating him. The sheer magnitude of the oppressive energy was enough to make him nearly faint. But his body betrayed him and he stayed standing, unable to move away from this ultimate evil.

In the presence of this demon, all seemed lost. He was trapped before this beast which seemed like entropy made flesh. The dread of just being near it made it seem like nothing in the world mattered. Like all before this demon would turn to ash.

And then he was back in the dark room. He was on the floor, curled into a ball. When did he fall to the floor? Better yet, when did he start crying? Did it matter?

No… Nothing mattered. He had seen the end and no longer cared. He didn't even realize that there were two people standing over him.

 _Nothing mattered. Nothing mattered._ _ **Nothing mattered.**_

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

"What the hell?" Tsunade asked, confused. She had been sleeping peacefully in her lover's arms, enjoying a dreamless slumber, when she was rudely pulled from that sleep suddenly.

She felt it before her eyes even opened. An overwhelming sense of dread. Like the devil himself had entered the room. It was like a weight of the purest, most massive killing intent she had ever felt before, had suddenly fallen upon the world, uncaring of all. Had she not been a former Hokage and S-ranked kunoichi with more than fifty years of experience under her belt, she probably would have passed out.

Instead, she jerked awake and sat up, the fog of slumber lifting immediately. She noticed that Naruto was also sitting up, and that he was staring at the door. That's when she noticed the intruder.

The man was unassuming in every aspect. Brown hair and green eyes. His face was forgettable and his clothes even more so. But once Tsunade turned the table light on, she saw the look of terror written across his face. He was just standing there, staring into Naruto's eyes.

"Naruto?" she asked, standing.

Naruto broke eye contact with the man, making him fall to his knees in a puddle of his own fluids, crying like a child who hurt themselves.

"It's okay," her lover told her, his voice deeper than it should be, turning her way. That's when she noticed his eyes. Instead of the lovely blue, he was looking at her with terrible vermilion. The eyes of a bijuu. "Kurama just got a little… overly excited…" he said, panting. She could tell he was reeling in the powerful, murderous killing intent.

She forgot that Kurama was a deadly mass of chakra. Naruto did a wonderful job of keeping that power in check, but even he couldn't completely squash _a thousand years' worth_ of hatred and malice. Sometimes, like now, it could slip through the cracks.

"Are… are you okay?" she asked when he took a deep breath. She wanted to touch him, to place her hand somewhere—anywhere—on his flesh, just to make sure he really _was_ okay.

But when he smiled, she felt better. And when he next looked into her eyes, they were the eyes of a sage. He had found serenity in the storm of chaos.

"I'm fine." He looked at the uninvited guest. "But this guy…" He scowled. "His negative emotions were strong enough to wake me up and get Kurama's attention…" He looked back at her. "He was here to kill you."

She nodded. No one knew that Naruto would be here with her. If they came to her room to kill someone, then it had to be her. It was just horrible luck (for the assassin) that Naruto always slept with her.

"I think we should inform Mei's people," she said, composing her thoughts. It was hard to shake off such powerful killing intent. "Get dressed. When they ask you about this, tell them as much of the truth as you can—you felt the negative emotions and rushed to my room, incapacitating the assassin."

Naruto nodded. She knew he wanted to argue. He didn't care if anyone found out. But she knew that the sudden tidal wave of malice had taken him by surprise too. He didn't feel like being difficult right now.

"I'll go get Konohamaru first," Naruto said, sliding a plain orange shirt on. "I don't want you to be alone."

Tsunade snorted but didn't argue. She wasn't a helpless damsel in distress. And what could Konohamaru really do? If she couldn't defend herself from a threat, what use would a chunin be? But she kept her thoughts to herself. Naruto was just worried, not to mention rattled.

* * *

 **| Her Personal Sun |**

* * *

Naruto didn't need to do anything.

Turns out, the sheer flex of Kurama's might was enough to wake the entire village. Everyone from infants to the oldest of elders had been ripped from sleep, a feeling of cold malice washing over Kiri.

Konohamaru was the first to arrive, only seconds after Naruto reached the door, a kunai gripped in his hand and a Shadow Clone at his back. Tsunade could see that her sensei's grandson was shaken, his hands barely holding onto his weapon.

The Mizukage's guards weren't far behind Konohamaru, and barely in any better condition.

Kurama hadn't held back.

The Kiri-nin secured the would-be assassin, binding his limbs in ninja wire, not that it mattered. The man was clearly out of it, only able to mutter a single phrase.

" _Nothing matters… Nothing matters…_ "

All the while, Naruto wouldn't leave her side, and despite herself, she couldn't help but want to reach out and hold his hand—for his sake as much as her own.

Konohamaru didn't joke or goof around, Tsunade seeing for perhaps the first time the shinobi and not the brat. He reminded her of Sarutobi-sensei, in a way, his eyes most of all.

"Umm…" One of the Kiri-nin, a man with a brutal scar reaching horizontally across his face, approached them. The look in his eyes surprised Tsunade. "The Lady Mizukage requests your presence. We're to escort all three of you there…"

This man, closer in age to Tsunade than her blond lover, was _terrified_ of Naruto. Truthfully, Tsunade couldn't blame him. The feeling of Kurama's wrath had even scared her, if only for a moment. And the broken man that laid on the floor, with no sign of exterior wounds at all, didn't help any.

She saw Naruto's shoulders slump. He tried to hide his true emotions, but he couldn't hide anything from her—not anymore. They were bonded so deeply now, she could _feel_ him when he was close, a sort of sixth sense.

Her Naruto Sense, she jokingly referred to it.

"Right," she agreed. "Lead the way."

She could have argued that the extra security wasn't necessary. That, with Naruto at her side, virtually nothing could harm her. The failed attempt on her life was proof enough of that.

But she wasn't in Konoha. Here, she followed their rules. So she allowed herself to be led to the Mizukage's office, her bright light at her side, close enough that she could feel the heat that radiated off his body in waves.

He was her everything.

Her personal sun.

* * *

 **| Fin |**

* * *

 **I've always loved Konohamaru and the relationship he shares with Naruto. I've come very close to writing a Konohamaru-centric story many times, but never follow through. So I decided to just throw him in here for a little bit.**

 **Please review. It fuels my desire to write, as abysmally small that desire has been lately.**

 **Special thanks to Dreaming of the Phoenix for all the help.**

 _hyvnn._


	10. A Believer

**This chapter hasn't been beta'd yet. I'm looking for a secondary beta, to help out when my buddy isn't available. If you're a person who can catch grammar and spelling errors easily, and would be interested in helping me make my stories look as clean and sexy as possible, PM me.**

* * *

A Believer

* * *

Tsunade listened to Terumi Mei's story.

"They call themselves the Purists," she explained, giving a name to the shady group that had tried to kill her. "They rose to prominence after I defeated Yagura and took command of Kirigakure."

"Who are they? And why did they attack Tsunade?" Naruto asked, steel in his tone.

Mei sighed, rubbing tired eyes. "They're a group of separatists that see themselves as loyalists to the previous Mizukage and his regime," Mei continued. "They despise me, a usurper in their eyes, as a Bloodline Limit user. They want the village to go back to the old ways, where people like me were persecuted and slaughtered for just existing."

Tsunade remembered vividly the _bloody_ past of the Land of Water.

"But why would they attack Lady Tsunade?" Konohamaru asked from behind her, standing next to Naruto. She was seated across from the Mizukage, two shinobi at her back.

"It's still just speculation, but I suspect it was to spark conflict between our villages," Mei answered, looking far too tired than she should. "If the alliance falters, we'd be alone if an internal conflict broke out again…"

Tsunade rubbed her temples. No matter what efforts anyone made, conflict seemed to be inescapable.

"I understand if you want to cut your trip short and leave early…" Mei said, slightly hesitant. Tsunade could tell that the woman didn't want them to leave at all.

"No," she said, crossing her arms definitely. "I won't run away. I'm not afraid of these people." Honestly, Tsunade thought these "Purists" would be terrified to attack them again, after Kurama's little _joke_.

Mei smiled brightly. "I'm glad to hear that." She stood from her seat, looking apologetic. "I'm very sorry that this happened on my watch," she said, bowing slightly.

"It's not your fault," Naruto said, sighing, his shoulders finally relaxing. "I won't let a few losers mess up everything we've all worked so hard to build," he promised, sounding more and more like the Naruto she loved. "I'll help you put an end to these… Purses, or whatever they call themselves."

Yup. He was back to normal.

Everyone laughed—except Naruto—and Mei smiled.

"Thank you, Naruto-san," the Mizukage said, genuinely happy that Naruto wasn't furious anymore. Whether anyone would admit it or not, her idiot was the linchpin that held the alliance together.

If Naruto stopped believing, the alliance would crumble, and everyone knew it.

"I'll beat some sense into them, just like I did to Sasuke!" The idiot gave the Mizukage a thumbs-up.

Thankfully, Naruto was nothing if not a believer.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

Naruto wouldn't leave her side for the next two days.

He was like a mother hen, following her around wherever she went, even to the bathroom, the idiot.

But she didn't mind. The failed assassination gave them an excuse to be seen together at all times, allowing them to even sleep in the same room, though most people thought he was crashing on the floor or a couch, not _with_ her _in_ her bed.

They spent several days stuck like glue, Naruto's impressive presence a shining beacon at her side at all times.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

With someone like the Great Uniter showing up, their plans were forced to change. The Hero of the Fourth wasn't a simple pawn, but a piece that changed the game entirely.

Schemes were altered, plotting aflutter. The very presence of Uzumaki Naruto had made Kirigakure shake—literally. And while taking his life would definitely be the catalyst they needed to dethrone the Pretender, it would certainly demand steep sacrifice, for how could peasants strike down a god without it?

"This technique was salvaged from the ruins of _that_ nation," a cold, shadowy figure intoned, his features hidden in the darkness. "You understand the consequences of using it, do you not?"

"I do." His name didn't matter, not anymore. He was a simple tool, to be used as his superiors saw fit. His life had ended a long time ago. He was now but a whisper of a man, his body moving on instinct alone.

"Good," the mysterious voice said, uncaring. "It will be your name forever on the lips of our people when we take back the motherland."

He sighed. He didn't care about any of that. He simply wanted it all to end. He just wanted everything and everyone to be _quiet_.

"Long live the Bloody Mist," the hidden-in-darkness man said, expecting him to say the same.

"Long live the Bloody Mist," he parroted, without much gusto.

He had been a believer, in what seemed like a lifetime ago. He had proclaimed the words with the kind of conviction only the youth, so naïve of the brutalities of the world, could muster. But not anymore. He stopped believing a long time ago.

It didn't really matter, after all. After he used _that_ technique, two souls would leave this world, one of no importance, the other…

Uzumaki Naruto, the Great Uniter.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

She thought it would be difficult to focus on giving her lectures with him there.

It wasn't. The opposite, in fact.

It wasn't a secret that her idiot wasn't a very studious individual, avoiding anything that reminded him of school or homework like the plague. But she didn't have that same effect on him, it would seem.

Because he was nothing but _enthralled_ as she explained the intricacies of the Chakra Pathway System and how it related to the Cardiovascular System when healing internal injuries with medical ninjutsu.

He didn't try to goof off a single time, his beautiful blue eyes staring up at her with wonderment, listening to her every word like an excited puppy. She doubted he understood everything she described, but he still tried to follow the advanced theories she was proposing, and that meant the world to her.

He was _trying_ , showing an interest in the field of work she had devoted her entire life to. There was no better feeling in the world than when the person you loved tried to understand the things that interested you.

As she droned on and on, she kept stealing glances at her lover, wondering how, so late in life, she managed to find true love again…

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

Konohamaru took Naruto's orders very seriously.

" _We have to protect Tsunade," Naruto explained, pulling him aside the morning after the attack. "Nothing can happen to her, do you understand?"_

 _Konohamaru blinked, slightly taken aback by the intensity in his self-proclaimed master's tone. He looked deep into the blond's eyes, realizing that all signs of humor had vanished._

 _He stood a little straighter, raising his head. Naruto, his idol, his big brother in everything but blood, was assigning him a mission._

" _I do," he confirmed, nodding, eyes matching his hero's._

" _We got lucky last night. I…" He flinched. "I was faster than that assassin, but I might not be next time. Will you help me protect our Lady Hokage?"_

 _Konohamaru saluted. "Of course!" he exclaimed, fire roaring in his eyes. "You can count on me!"_

 _Naruto smirked. "Good."_

Ever since that conversation, Konohamaru had been vigilant in his role as Naruto's second pair of eyes. He followed Lady Tsunade everywhere, sneaking through the shadows like a true shinobi, nothing at all like the dumb kid he used to be, using fake—not to mention _square_ —rocks ineffectively.

His eyes scrutinized everyone and everything, utilizing his senses masterfully.

Unfortunately, for Naruto and Tsunade, Konohamaru had become very, v _ery_ skilled in the art of stealth.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

He made excuses when he saw them holding hands. It was weird, yes, but nothing concrete. He was only fifteen and they were older than him. Adults did all kinds of strange things, maybe this was just one of them.

He pretended he didn't see the way they looked at each other when they thought no one was around. Their eyes _didn't_ look just like his parents' when they hadn't seen one another for an extended amount of time.

He even managed to convince himself that he was hallucinating from exhaustion, because there was no way that they were kissing whenever they were behind closed doors. It just wasn't possible… right?

Sarutobi Konohamaru sighed, rubbing his forehead. What the heck was his master doing with Lady Tsunade?

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

Konohamaru looked into his master's eyes, awe flooding his entire body.

Gone were blue eyes, and in their place, molten gold. "This is what I'm trying to teach you, Konohamaru," Naruto said, orange pigment appearing around his eyes. "With the Honorable Sage Mode, you'll be in a class all your own—a Sage."

Konohamaru blinked rapidly, slightly nervous. Sage Mode was several orders of magnitude more complicated than the Rasengan. It wasn't a technique, but an enlightened state of being. To connect with the world around you, enhancing your senses and physicality… not to mention what it does to your actual techniques…

"Are… Are you sure I'm ready?" Konohamaru asked, unsure.

Sage Mode had made Naruto strong enough to face down the leader of the Akatsuki in single combat. It was with Sage Mode that he took his first steps as a hero of the people, and led him down the path of savior. Was Konohamaru really ready for such awesome responsibility and strength?

"I've known you since you were a little brat, Konohamaru," Naruto started, smiling at the younger shinobi. "You've grown a lot since then—we both have. I wouldn't be teaching this to you if I didn't feel like you were ready to learn it." He stood from his sitting position, closing his eyes and inhaling. And for some reason, Konohamaru felt like Naruto could still see everything and more. "We're just starting with the basics. You need to learn how to sit perfectly still. Only when you're perfectly still will you be able to sense natural energy."

Konohamaru nodded slightly, still nervous but trusting in Naruto's wisdom. He sat down on the slightly misted grass, the two of them sitting under a tree on a hill just outside of the village. It was close enough that Naruto could be at Tsunade's side in an instant, but far away enough from prying eyes.

Closing his eyes, Konohamaru inhaled deeply, willing his body to be as still as possible. It was a lot harder than it seemed. When he put so much focus on the act, it became infinitely more difficult.

"You have to clear your mind. Don't think about it too hard," Naruto said, still standing.

Konohamaru had to clench his jaw to keep quiet. He couldn't help but think—his mentor and idol was messing around with Lady Tsunade, the former Hokage of their village. How could he not think about… _that_?

"Is something wrong?" Naruto suddenly asked. When Konohamaru opened his eyes, Naruto was squatting right in front of him, mere inches away from his face. "You feel… conflicted."

Konohamaru cursed how perceptive Sage Mode made Naruto—it wasn't fair how he could perceive others' emotions and feelings.

He thought about lying, about keeping what he saw a secret, but this was Naruto. This was the person he admired the most in the world—the shinobi all other shinobi were compared to. He couldn't lie to Naruto.

"I saw you…" Konohamaru started, his voice a whisper. "You and… Lady Tsunade…" He was looking away from the blond shinobi, but peeked back at him after a moment. "I know you're…" He hesitated, and instead of saying the words, he held out his left hand and raised his pinky.

Naruto was silent for a moment, standing over his student with unreadable emotion in his eyes. The seconds ticked by so slowly Konohamaru thought time had distorted. And then, when Konohamaru thought he had made a terrible mistake in telling Naruto, the Uzumaki burst into laughter.

Konohamaru was confused. Why was he… laughing?

"That's why you've been so distant?" Naruto chuckled. "I thought you didn't want to be around me because of that little incident the other night," he admitted, referring to Kurama's killing intent flooding the island.

"What!? No!" Konohamaru shouted, shooting to his feet. "That was kinda shocking since I was asleep, but it's not like I was avoiding you because I was scared or anything…"

Naruto's smile turned from amused to something softer. "I'm glad to hear that…" he said, his voice so gentle it didn't even sound like Naruto at all. "I don't ever want you to be afraid of me."

Konohamaru puffed out his chest. "Me, afraid of you? Psshh," he said, chuckling at the thought. True, Naruto was almost unreachable in terms of raw power, and could essentially take over the Elemental Nations if he really wanted to, but he was still _Naruto_ , and taking over the world wasn't a very Naruto thing to do.

Naruto chuckled, some of his earlier amusement returning. He turned his golden eyes to the sky, sighing contently. Silence fell over them for a minute before Naruto started again, turning to face the younger shinobi, eyes once again cerulean.

"So you saw us together?" he said. "Me and Tsunade?" He waited for Konohamaru to nod before continuing. "You've gotten a lot better at stealth techniques, huh?"

"I learned from the best prankster in my village," Konohamaru replied softly, smirking.

Naruto returned the smirk. "I guess you did," he chuckled. "Look, Tsunade…" he trailed off, rubbing the back of his head, thinking how to best put it into words. "I…"

Konohamaru saw it enter his eyes in an instant. In a single heartbeat, he saw in his master's eyes conviction and absolute faith— _belief_.

"I love her."

Konohamaru was only fifteen, and had never loved another person romantically in his whole life. But that didn't mean he couldn't recognize love— _real_ love—when it was right in front of him.

He had seen it in his father's eyes every time his mother walked by. He saw it in Shikamaru's eyes whenever Temari visited the village. He had seen it in his uncle Asuma's eyes whenever Auntie Kurenai was with him before he died.

And now, he saw it in Uzumaki Naruto's eyes.

For the next few minutes, Konohamaru merely looked into those eyes, so full of conviction, and marveled at the sheer magnitude of Naruto's devotion to the woman he loved. Konohamaru had respected and looked up to Naruto for years, but right now, in this moment, Naruto wasn't just his goofball "boss."

For the first time, Konohamaru looked at Naruto and saw a man.

He didn't need any more explanation. He didn't need to be convinced. Those three words—" _I love her"_ —and _that look_ was all the proof Konohamaru needed.

Instead of a response, he simply sat back down on the damp grass and closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply through his nose, smelling the humid environment. He focused his hearing, listening to the gentle breeze, the way it rustled through the tree leaves and brushed against the grass. He crossed his legs, feeling the ground underneath him, blades of green reaching up to sweep against his exposed flesh.

He had been worried that he wasn't ready for this. That Naruto was rushing through his new training recklessly. But Naruto wasn't a kid anymore.

Naruto smiled at… He had taught Konohamaru a lot, hadn't he? The Kage Bunshin. The Rasengan. And now, Sage Mode.

Naruto looked at the younger ninja, and for the first time, saw him as an actual student.

A disciple.

"Clear your mind," he said, sitting down next to the Sarutobi. "Don't focus on yourself, but everything around you. Nature doesn't talk—it whispers, so you have to carefully listen for its voice."

Konohamaru nodded. "Yes, sensei."

Master and student would sit there, perfectly still and listening for Mother Nature's soft whispers, for hours.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

Tsunade decided that this was her favorite spot.

Laying with—and on—her idiot was her favorite pastime. When she was cuddled into his side, his arms wrapped around her, or when she was atop him, head snuggled into the crook of his neck, she was the most comfortable, the most at ease. It was the latter that was her favorite.

Why? Because her lover always— _always_ rubbed his fingers through her hair. Each soft stroke of her scalp made her purr in content. A hard day's work no longer ended with her getting drunk off saké. Now, there was something she enjoyed much more than alcohol, and his name was Naruto.

"I have something to tell you," Naruto said, his fingers still running through her blonde hair. "About Konohamaru."

"Hmm?" she hummed, so relaxed she could barely keep her eyes open. Laying on her lover's chest as he played with her hair was almost _too_ relaxing.

"He found out," he said. "About us."

Tsunade blinked, silently contemplating what Naruto had just said.

"How?" she finally asked, still calm despite her heartbeat quickening. It was probably because he was still playing with her hair.

"He's been shadowing us since the assassination attempt," Naruto explained. "He, uh, got really good at it, apparently…" he finished, chuckling.

Tsunade snorted. "Apparently," she replied, not as amused as her idiot. "What did you tell him?" She sounded unfazed, but in truth, she was incredibly nervous and embarrassed. What had the kid seen…?

"I told him the truth," he said, his fingers stopping, making her look up at him. Their eyes met, and Tsunade's worry melted. "I told him that I love you, and he understood."

She stared into those eyes that made her feel like the most beautiful woman in the whole world, and smiled. "I see."

Naruto nodded. "Yup," he said matter-of-factly. "And I told him that we're keeping the relationship on the hush-hush for now, and he promised he wouldn't say anything."

Tsunade couldn't hide her smirk at the way he was speaking. Like a man who had made up his mind and that was that.

"What?" he asked when she started to laugh. "What's so funny?"

Instead of answering, Tsunade leaned forward and kissed him.

He was really cute when he tried to act tough.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

Tsunade exhaled. Tonight was the night.

"You're going to be great," Naruto said, his voice a beacon of support. "I've heard some of your speeches already, and if they can keep me interested, trust me, they're gonna be hooked."

She smiled, so happy to have someone in her life that was so devoted to her.

"Thank you, Naruto," she said, trying to express her love for him in a single look.

"Get a room..." According to Konohamaru, it worked.

Tsunade rolled her eyes. _Kids_ , she thought, strangely content with Konohamaru knowing about them. It was the most terrifying feeling, when someone was about to discover her relationship with Naruto. But then, when they finally did find out, it was… almost liberating.

Naruto grinned and winked at his student. "We do have a room, kid," he said, laughing at the way Konohamaru scrunched up his face. "I gotta go greet people," he said, turning to her and placing his hand on her check, cupping it gently. "Do your best!" he cheered, and she could have sworn that she felt his warmth enter her entire body. Then he turned to Konohamaru and held out his fist. "Protect my girl while I'm gone."

It was Konohamaru's turn to roll his eyes. Naruto was going to be in the crowd while Tsunade gave her last speech, not outside of the village or even the building. Regardless, he reached out and bumped his fist against the Uzumaki's.

"Of course," he said, his attention breaking from Naruto's face to where their fists met. He wasn't sure, but it felt like something warm had shot up his arm. It wasn't unpleasant, just strange.

"Everyone's about to show up—gotta go," he said, waving at them over his shoulder as he left to be a glorified doorman, greeting the guests as they entered the building.

Tsunade's last speech would be massive, an entire stadium full, actually. People could meet and shake the Hero of the Fourth's hand, and attend a medical lecture by the most prominent medical-nin in the world.

People arrived in droves.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

Naruto greeted damned near everyone in Kirigakure that night.

Shinobi and kunoichi of every caliber came to meet him and listen to Tsunade speak. He'd even seen a handful of Hunter-nin show up.

The village elders, two elderly women who made up Mei's small council, came as well. One of them, Hiromi, he thought her name was, even tried to grope him a little.

The Mizukage herself even attended, Chojuro and Ao at her side, excited to hear Tsunade discuss the fundamentals and importance of medical techniques and knowledge.

He shook each person's hand, greeting them with a smile that made them all disregard the warmth that seemed to enter their bodies at his touch.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

The Sannin's lecture was the perfect opportunity.

While heavily fortified, it was the only time so many of the Pretender's supporters would be gathered in one place. The Pretender herself was there, alongside her guards and council, not to mention several jonin and Hunter-nin.

There was more chance of catastrophic failure, but if they succeeded, the outcome would be immeasurable. In one fell swoop, the Usurper and her regime would fall, alongside their alliance with the foreign devils.

And their most dangerous enemy, Uzumaki Naruto, would be wiped off the bored.

Checkmate.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

"—is why the sharing of knowledge is so important. The Ninja Alliance allows for us not only to slow the cycle of war and pain we've heaped upon one another, but to break it entirely."

Lady Tsunade, the former Hokage of Konohagakure, gave a lecture that enraptured the entire audience. She spoke of the value of shared knowledge, and how it would help further peace and prosperity for all.

"By sharing medical treatments and techniques, we can improve daily life for every person in every nation."

She explained her desire to help people. Not just the people of the Land of Fire, but _all_ people. She spoke like a true Kage, and held everyone at the edge of their seats.

"The seeds have already been planted. The doctors and medical-nin have already received some of my personal—and most useful—techniques and theories. Soon, they'll be able to put those teachings to good use."

Her voice was full of hope, her desire to heal not only the physical wounds of the Elemental Nations, but the longstanding psychological scars that they inflicted on themselves. She painted a picture of a better world.

A unified shinobi world.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

Naruto was inspired by Tsunade's words.

She explained the importance of medicine, and how it improved everyday life. And while he wasn't a medical-nin, he found it interesting, at the very least.

Then she detailed her vision for the future, a place where the nations shared more than just medical knowledge. She discussed why the Ninja Alliance was so important, and why it would take everyone, from every nation and village, working together to see that vision manifest.

She told them why working together was so crucial, and the potential benefits of that cooperation.

For Naruto, it was like she was reading the words Jiraiya-sensei had all but inscribed on his heart. She had put his dream, Jiraiya's dream, into words that even an idiot like himself could understand.

He hadn't appreciated just how lucky he was to have such a smart, passionate woman as his lover more than at that moment.

He was so enthralled in her speech that he almost missed it.

It was like the hiss of a snake in the distance, so faint he almost didn't hear it. He wasn't sure it would happen, or what it would be, but he was glad that he had taken precautions.

Seconds after he heard the hissing, the entire auditorium exploded in an angry white light.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

He watched from a safe distance as the explosion was triggered, the entire auditorium swallowed up in an instant. The higher-ups knew that something as rudimentary as an explosion wouldn't kill someone like the previous Hokage, never mind Uzumaki Naruto. It just wasn't enough to kill monsters of that caliber.

But the others? The genin, chunin, and councilors, those too young or too old to protect themselves? They would certainly be destroyed. The regime would crumble after this night.

He felt the heat against his skin and the vibrations through his entire body at this distance, and he couldn't imagine the kind of _thing_ that could survive such a powerful blast.

But it wasn't his place to make decisions. His opinion didn't matter. With that in mind, he approached the rubble, eyes burning from ash and smoke. He neared the epicenter and prepared for the bodies. Explosions of this magnitude did a decent job of eradicating the mess, but there was always leftovers—broken and charred body parts strewed.

Horribly burned bodies didn't bother him anymore, however. After… after losing so much, life and death seemed meaningless, which was probably why he was chosen for this task.

He passed through the threshold, and stopped when he saw… _something_ stand from the rubble in the distance. He had to squint, but he recognized it as a person. A girl, in fact, with light blue hair. Judging by her looks, she couldn't have been older than twelve… a young genin…

Clinging around her form was what had led to his confusion. There was… a vermillion substance, something akin to plasma, clinging to her form. It shaped two… ears?... atop her head, and a single… tail… at her back…

Another figure rose, this time closer and to his left. It was an older man with a scarred visage, most likely a jonin, and he, too, had the same vermillion plasma wrapped around him, almost as if…

Another person rose, and another and another still, each one from the rubble with a cloak of the deepest vermillion upon their bodies, like a protective blanket.

He had heard the tales of the Jinchuuriki, those with bijuu housed within their own bodies like vessels. And he had heard the legends of the Hero of the Fourth, the greatest Jinchuuriki of all time…

Like phoenixes rising from the ashes, each and every single person who should have died in the explosion stood to their feet, just as confused and shocked as he was to still be alive.

Panicked, he searched frantically for his target, for the person he had come to this place for. His eyes darted across the false graveyard, trying to find his mark. If he waited too long, the mass confusion would die down and people would begin to realize that he was the odd man out, the only person not wrapped in vermillion chakra.

He found the target fretting over a blonde-haired woman he knew to be Senju Tsunade of the Sannin, a look of worry etched into his face. She, like everyone else there, was encased in red/orange chakra, though, for some reason, there were two tails coming out of her back.

He stalked across the ruined auditorium, keeping his head down, slipping passed jonin and Hunter-nin and even one of the Pretender's personal bodyguards. He reached the target without delay in seconds. He was insignificant, a fly buzzing around the unsuspecting elite.

The Uzumaki was too busy attending to the Sannin to notice him. He was no one, a ghost in the wind, and now, after a few hand-seals, he would be even less than that.

 _Snake, Boar, Ram, Rabbit, Dog, Rat, Bird, Horse, Snake_

He pressed his hand up against the back of the Great Uniter, and finally, after so many years of noise, he readied himself to greet the silence.

* * *

 **| A Believer |**

* * *

It felt like something so cold that it was hot had touched his back. He hadn't paid any attention to the world around him, only her, only Tsunade. He knew his chakra cloak had activated. He could feel everyone now, their life force and chakra signature. He knew he had saved them all, even Tsunade, but he had to make _sure_. He didn't know how to live without her now…

She was fine, of course. His devotion and love for her had bled threw his subconscious and added more power to her cloak. He saw the second tail, could see that she was in a better condition than anyone else around them, but love did strange things to logic and common sense.

He would curse himself later at his environmental awareness blunder. There was no time for it now.

"Shiki Fujin," he heard a voice say, and saw Tsunade's horror streak across her face.

Naruto turned, coming face to face with… a stranger. A person he had never met before was trying to kill him, was willing to use _that_ technique to do it…

"Who…" he said through clenched teeth. "Who are you!?"

"I'm no one…" the man said, his voice as cold as steel. He took a few steps back, holding his hands like he was praying.

He felt something rip into him, yet not through flesh and bone. It was a familiar feeling, like when Nagato had tried to rip his soul out of him during the war. It sent cold chills throughout his whole body, and made his heart ache.

He could feel his soul slipping, being pulled away, and a sense of wrongness deep inside. He could also feel the stranger's feelings, and was surprised. The man felt nothing; not hate, or joy, or even triumph. All Naruto could feel from the man was… resignation?

"Naruto!" he heard Tsunade scream at his back. Her voice was so thick with fear that he almost didn't recognize it. That sound, that fear that she felt, angered him.

He went to move, to try and reach the man before he could finish his technique, and could hear Tsunade doing the same. But the moment he tried, a bright light exploded from the ground, huge sealing arrays coming to life in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, he couldn't move at all, and he knew that he wasn't the only one.

"It's a Wide Area Paralysis Seal," the stranger explained, his movement also constricted. "They didn't want me to be interrupted."

"Don't do this!" Naruto yelled. "You'll die, too!"

"Of course I will," he replied, voice monotone. "Then everything will be silent."

Naruto grimaced. This man… he had lost the will to live. Naruto could sense it… He was staring at a hollow husk of a man, a void of nothingness. What had happened to him? What had he been through to get this way?

"Naruto!" he heard Tsunade shout again. She was struggling against the seal as well, trying to break through it with brute force. But even she wasn't _that_ strong.

"We both leave this world tonight, Great Uniter," the stranger said, and Naruto felt the pull of his soul strengthen. "Long live the Bloody Mist."

The world went cold, losing all its heat and color in an instant. Numbness began to take over, and it was no longer the seal keeping him motionless. Death had come for Uzumaki Naruto, and it was mere seconds away from claiming his soul. He closed his eyes, and focused on the most important thing in his life.

" _I love you, Naruto."_

Tsunade's voice rang through him, warming his cold heart and splashing the world with vibrant colors and comforting warmth. Memories of holding her close, of kissing her and loving her and _belonging_ to her, flooded his body, giving him strength.

His eyes snapped open, vermillion slits heralding his Jinchuuriki status. He felt Kurama's fury deep within, and like a massive tidal wave of rage and power, a roar ripped through his throat.

His body exploded in bright light, his skin turning into golden fire. His presence inflated, demanding everyone near to look his way. Kirigakure had felt Kurama's hatred the other night, but now, they were feeling his glory.

He took a step forward.

"Wha… What…?" the stranger said, stumbling on his words, fear leaking into his emotionless tone.

He took another step.

"That's… That's impossible! No one should be able to…"

Another step.

Naruto was close enough to reach out and touch him. He looked into those fearful eyes and sneered.

"You lack conviction," he said, Kurama's voice bleeding into his own. "You don't believe in what you're doing. I doubt you believe in anything at all anymore." He looked up, above the man who was trying to kill him, and growled at the… _thing_ that had its disgusting hand pierced through the stranger's body. That same hand was currently trying to rip his own soul out of his body.

"I'll give you something to believe in," Naruto said, his golden hands reaching down and gripping the spectral arm of death. "You can believe that…" he said, pulling the arm away. He felt the power of the Shiki Fujin, the overwhelming strength of entropy, the unrelenting pull of the seal. It was nearly too much. "I will never let the alliance crumble!"

He focused all his strength into his arms, the golden light that was Kurama Mode receding from his face, torso and legs, leaving only his arms alight. With a final grunt, Naruto broke the grip on his soul, feeling it snap into place like a rubber band.

Then he reached out and grabbed the man's arms, and pulled them apart forcefully. In the next moment, the spectral image of death crumbled into pieces. At the same time, the Paralysis Seal deactivated.

Immediately, the stranger fell to his knees, eyes full of awe and reverence.

He had seen the true conviction and limitless willpower of Uzumaki Naruto. He had seen how far a single person would go for the Ninja Alliance, for their personal beliefs.

And so, the nonbeliever had lost to…

A believer.

* * *

 **| Fin |**

* * *

 **I've always liked how strong and cool Naruto's techniques are, but, since the beginning, I've always felt that his greatest ability is his conviction. That absolute stubbornness that never lets him give up, no matter how much pain or despair he encounters. He not only forges his own path, but he** _ **follows**_ **that path to the very end! That was what I was trying to capture in this chapter. I hope I did it justice.**

 **On a random note, I now have discord, so if anyone knows of any interesting writer/fanfiction groups or just wanna talk, PM me. I'm relatively new to the app, so I don't exactly know how to use all its functions yet.**

 **I know I put it at the top, but I'll say it again down here. I need a second beta! Please PM if interested. (Must be capable of catching grammar and spelling errors.)**

 **I've been really feelin' this writing thing again lately. Let's hope it lasts.**

 _hyvnn._


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